Trump Administration Deports 8 Migrants to South Sudan
A group of migrants, previously the subject of a lawsuit that halted their deportation to South Sudan and diverted them to a U.S. military base in Djibouti, have been deported.
The migrants were the subject of a lawsuit that halted their deportation.
Deportation to South Sudan
The Trump administration deported eight migrants to South Sudan, according to a Department of Homeland Security official, after their deportation was previously halted and they were diverted to a base in Djibouti.
"A district judge cannot dictate the national security and foreign policy of the United States of America," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.
The plane carrying the migrants landed in South Sudan just before midnight EST on Friday.
The eight migrants, who the Department of Homeland Security has alleged have serious criminal convictions, were the subject of a lawsuit that had halted their deportation to South Sudan and led to their temporary placement at a U.S. military base in Djibouti.
Legal Proceedings and Supreme Court Decision
According to court filings, the conditions at the base were challenging for both the detainees and ICE officials responsible for overseeing them.
The lawsuit progressed to the Supreme Court, which ruled that the Trump administration was not bound by a lower court order to keep the migrants at the military facility in Djibouti.
In a 7-2 decision, the Supreme Court clarified that the administration was not required to keep the noncitizens in Djibouti while legal proceedings continued.
In an unsigned opinion, the Supreme Court stated that when it lifted judge-imposed due process requirements for third-country removals, the government was no longer required to follow those requirements.
Legal Representation and Concerns
One of the lawyers representing the group described their deportation to South Sudan as punitive and unconstitutional.
"Because of the Supreme Court's procedural ruling, these men were denied an opportunity to contest their deportations to South Sudan based on their fear of torture or death," said Trina Realmuto in a statement. "The U.S. State Department warns Americans against all travel to South Sudan yet deported these men there without any due process."
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