In brief
Chanthila 'Shawn' Souvannarath, a 44-year-old man with claims to U.S. citizenship, was deported from Alabama to Laos, defying a federal court's temporary restraining order meant to protect him and allow for a citizenship claim. His wife expressed distress over the separation of their family. The ACLU labeled the act a violation of the court order and an example of the Trump administration's disregard for legal frameworks.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Immigration officials have deported a father living in Alabama to Laos despite a federal court order blocking his removal from the U.S. on the grounds he has a claim to citizenship, the man’s attorneys said Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick last week ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to keep Chanthila “Shawn” Souvannarath, 44, in the United States while he presented what the judge called his 'substantial claim of U.S. citizenship.' Born in a refugee camp in Thailand, he was granted lawful permanent residence in the U.S. before his first birthday.Souvannarath messaged his wife on Sunday, revealing he was in Dongmakkhai, Laos. The message, shared with AP, concluded with 'love y’all.' Beatrice Souvannarath expressed heartache over their separation, stating it is unfortunate for their children. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not provide immediate responses to inquiries. Represented by the ACLU of Louisiana, Souvannarath's deportation was labeled a 'stunning violation of a federal court order.' Before his deportation, Souvannarath was detained at a newly opened ICE facility at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.Alanah Odoms, executive director of ACLU Louisiana, criticized the administration for ignoring court orders and the Constitution in pursuit of mass deportations.The deportation aligns with broader concerns over the Trump administration's confrontation with the courts regarding immigration policy. Prior incidents include the deportation of U.S. citizens and their children. Souvannarath had been detained after a check-in with immigration authorities in June and had lived continually in the U.S. since infancy. Despite claims of citizenship based on his father's status as a naturalized citizen, Souvannarath's emergency motion against deportation remains unresolved, with a temporary restraining order set to expire on Nov. 6.
