Trump’s Latest Deportation Tactic: Targeting Immigrants With Minor Family Court Cases

ProPublicaCenter-LeftEN 9 min read 100% complete by Eli HagerFebruary 24, 2026 at 03:30 PM

AI Summary

long article 9 min

The Trump administration is seeking to deport Sotero Mendoza-Rivera, an undocumented immigrant, based on a 2010 misdemeanor citation for leaving his young children unattended for approximately 30 minutes in Oregon. Mendoza-Rivera and his girlfriend pleaded guilty, paid a fine, and received probation after their two-year-old son was found outside their apartment building. Despite the initial deportation proceedings under the Obama administration, the case stalled in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. ICE detained Mendoza-Rivera in August, and the DOJ now argues that his past actions warrant immediate deportation. The DOJ contends that any "substantial" deviation from normal childcare standards by an immigrant parent justifies deportation, regardless of whether actual harm occurred. Child welfare experts have expressed concern over the implications of this case.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Mexico 40% Walmart ×240% California ×250% Obama administration 50% Immigration and Customs Enforcement 60% McMinnville, Oregon 60% Department of Justice ×270% Angelica Ortega-Vasquez ×270% 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ×270% Donald Trump ×280% Sotero Mendoza-Rivera ×590%

Keywords

deportation 100% immigration 90% child welfare 80% family court 70% trump administration 70% minor offenses 60% immigration and customs enforcement 50% parenting standards 50% undocumented immigrant 40%