Dead but deportable: US immigration judge signed order to eject teen murder victim An immigration judge in Charlotte, North Carolina, ordered the deportation of Levi Mendez-Maldonado in absentia, citing his failure to appear in court. His lawyer informed the judge of his death and provided police records, but the judge deemed them insufficient. Advocates criticize the ruling as dehumanizing and indicative of a system prioritizing numbers over individual circumstances.

• An immigration judge in Charlotte, NC, ordered the deportation of Levi Mendez-Maldonado, who had been murdered in November 2024.
• The judge issued the order in absentia after Mendez-Maldonado’s lawyer presented police records of his death, which were deemed insufficient proof.
• Advocates argue this case exemplifies the dehumanizing nature of the immigration system, stripping dignity from immigrant communities.
• The Charlotte immigration court has a large backlog of cases and a low rate of granting legal relief.
• Mendez-Maldonado, an asylum seeker from Honduras, had legal representation and a pending asylum case at the time of his death.