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Phone: (202) 827-6673
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For more information contact Andrea Flores, info@mayanleague.org, 202-827-6673
Demand the Halt of Illegal Deportations of Indigenous Children from Guatemala September 10, 2025 | 9 Keme
Sahil ch’olejil, Good afternoon, Lin k’ab’a A, Wankin arin sa’ xk’ab’a’eb’ lin na’ lin yuwa’ aj ralch’och’ li xe’ q’ulun chaq sa’ li qa loq’laj ch’och’el a’in chi rub’elaj nak li kaxlan wink xe’ q’ulun. Lin k’iq’el aan lix k’iq’eleb’ lin xe’ toon.
My name is Alida, I am here as a living heritage of my ancestors who lived in these sacred lands for thousands of years before we were invaded. I carry the blood of my forefathers. I’m a Maya Q’eqchi’ daughter, mother, sister and Q’eqchi’ interpreter. With a heavy heart I stand before you on Piscataway Nation lands to speak up for our Maya children.
Over Labor Day weekend, the U.S. government attempted to illegally deport 76 children back to danger as part of months-long negotiations with the Guatemalan government to expel 609 unaccompanied minors. I repeat: 609 children are at risk of illegal deportation, ninety percent of them are Indigenous Maya.
This was a deliberate, shameful act, part of more than 500 years of war, genocide, and oppression against Indigenous Peoples. We will not tolerate continued attacks on our sacred children by any colonial government. We will not stay silent. We say clearly: our children are not disposable. Our families are not expendable. We are human beings. We have a right to be here. B’anyox –Thank you!
My name is Lorena, and it is my honor to share a message on behalf of Comunidad Sol, a Maya youth-led organization and our partner in Ohio. Their community asks to be heard:
A young Maya Q’eqchi’ girl told us: “I am very afraid. My parents don’t have a home because they are being evicted [by Guatemalan police forces] from where we live in Izabal, Guatemala. If I return, I will only suffer because the police are persecuting my parents. That is why I came to live with my older brother.”
A Maya Ixil gay youth told us:” My parents threw me out when I told them I like men. My father was so enraged that he hit my mom because he thought that it was her fault. Afterwards, the Pastor told them that I should be punished to get rid of “the evil.” That is why my mother helped me to escape, and that’s how I was able to flee.”
1201 K St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
Phone: (202) 827-6673
Email: info@mayanleague.org
www.mayanleague.org
These are not just stories. They are the lived reality of Indigenous children fleeing persecution, rejection, and violence because simply being Indigenous is a risk to their life, safety, and security. Instead of honoring their right to seek asylum, the United States government is trying to deport them back to danger. Thank you.
My name is Juanita, and as daughter of the Maya Mam Nation, I urgently call attention to the specific violence and persecution that we face because we are Indigenous. Recognizing that the children are Indigenous is not a separate issue; it is at the core of the vulnerabilities that they face, coupled with their gender, age, sexual orientation, and Indigenous language. Our Peoples’ children are subjugated to persecution, racism, discrimination, and death simply because they are Indigenous.
This is not something of the past. Between 2018 and 2019, six Indigenous Maya children died in U.S. custody because of medical neglect, inhumane conditions, and lack of Indigenous language interpretation. Six children.
Today, Indigenous children are routinely denied the right to their Indigenous identity, interpretation in their Indigenous languages, and mislabeled as Latino or Hispanic. Let us be clear: when Indigenous children cannot be who they are and their existence is denied, that is not justice. That is erasure and genocide.
We demand better. As expressed by the Indian Law Resource Center, “Respect Indigenous children’s specific rights to live free from discrimination, right to liberty and security of person, the right to safety, and the right to due process, including the right to an interpreter.” We demand the U.S. government must uphold its domestic and international human rights obligations such as the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Convention Against Torture to protect our children.
Our message is simple, and it will not change: we demand accountability from both the U.S. and Guatemalan governments. We are here. We are Indigenous. And we will not back down. Chjonte - Thank you.