An academically outstanding junior's life was disrupted by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) interference.
In the heart of Los Angeles, a 17-year-old high school student named Nory Sontay Ramos was preparing for her track season and cross-country ambitions, little knowing that her life was about to take a dramatic turn. On July 4, 202x, Nory and her mother, Estela Ramos, were deported to Guatemala, a country they had left about 11 years ago in search of safety and opportunity.
Nory, indistinguishable from her peers born in the United States, enjoyed activities like watching Netflix shows, listening to music, and practicing taekwondo. She made the honor roll and represented her high school in track. However, the Trump administration's immigration crackdowns, which have been met with growing public disapproval, disrupted her life.
The administration's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA), signed into law on July 4, 2025, significantly undermined due process protections for undocumented immigrants. The act massively expanded funding for immigration enforcement, detention, and deportation efforts, while simultaneously increasing immigration application fees and limiting access to health care, nutrition assistance, and child tax credits for many immigrants.
This legislation, which dedicates approximately $45 billion to immigration detention over multiple years, allows indefinite detention of children and families, a violation of prior legal protections such as the Flores Settlement Agreement. It also allocates $75 billion for border militarization and about $47 billion specifically for continued border wall construction. The bill supports a scale-up in hiring and training of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents and imposes steep new fees on immigration processes that often price out low-income immigrant families, effectively restricting access to due process.
Nory and her mother were detained by immigration officials on June 30, 202x, during a standard check-in visit. Estela Ramos, Nory's mother, celebrated her 45th birthday during the dinner before the check-in. Jennifer Ramos, Nory's aunt, had expressed concern about attending the immigration check-in, but Estela Ramos and her lawyer assured them it would be fine.
The Trump administration has not provided a tally of how many minors have been deported this year, but The 19th's review of figures from the Deportation Data Project found that only about 3 percent of removals involved children. Despite this, Nory continues to feel blindsided about why she and her mother were deported.
The attorney for Nory Sontay Ramos and her mother has filed a motion to reopen their case with the Board of Immigration Appeals. Meanwhile, Nory's family and community are rallying around her, with a GoFundMe campaign providing much-needed support.
The Trump administration's immigration policies have targeted undocumented immigrants, with more than 93,800 people being deported from January 20 to June 11, 202x. Of the deported individuals, 61 percent did not have criminal records and almost 90 percent were men. The administration's enforcement-focused measures have been challenged by civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups but remain broadly in effect, creating a harsh immigration enforcement environment that largely prioritizes mass deportation over fair legal procedures.
As a result, some families have skipped school graduations and refused to let their children attend football practice due to concerns over raids. Manuel Guevara, a physical education teacher at Nory Sontay Ramos' school, fears more deportations of youth from his school are imminent.
Nory and her mother struggled with assimilation in Los Angeles due to the lack of resources in their native tongue, K'iche'. Yet, they found solace in their community, a community that continues to support them in their time of need. As Nory adjusts to life in Guatemala, her story serves as a stark reminder of the impact of the Trump administration's immigration policies on families seeking a better life in the United States.
- Nory Sontay Ramos, who was once a high school honor roll student and a track athlete, is now adjusting to life in Guatemala due to the Trump administration's immigration policies, which have undercut education and self-development opportunities for many, including her.
- The Trump administration's focus on mass deportation over fair legal procedures, as demonstrated by the passage of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," has had a significant impact on the political landscape, causing general news headlines to question the administration's commitment to due process and human rights.
%20interference.){kind=link}