U.S. Completes Deportation of 8 Men to South Sudan Following Legal Proceedings

WASHINGTON (AP) — Eight men deported from the United States in May and held under guard for several weeks at a U.S. military base in Djibouti during legal proceedings have arrived in South Sudan. The State Department currently advises against travel to South Sudan due to crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict.

The individuals, originating from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Vietnam, and South Sudan, arrived in South Sudan on Friday. This followed a federal judge's decision allowing the administration to proceed with their relocation, a case that reached the Supreme Court, which permitted their removal from the U.S. According to administration officials, the men had been convicted of violent crimes in the United States.

Legal Proceedings and Deportation Process

The Supreme Court recently allowed the transfer of the men, who had initially been placed on a flight to South Sudan in May. The flight was rerouted to a base in Djibouti after a federal judge determined that the administration had not complied with an order to provide the men an opportunity to challenge their removal. While in Djibouti, the men were held in a converted shipping container.

The court's majority had previously ruled that immigration officials could deport individuals to third countries. This ruling halted an earlier order that had allowed immigrants to challenge removals to countries other than their country of origin where they might face danger.

A series of court hearings on Independence Day resulted in a temporary pause on the deportations while a judge reviewed a final appeal. Ultimately, the judge concluded that he did not have the authority to prevent the removals and indicated that a Boston judge, whose rulings had previously delayed the deportations, was best positioned to address the request.

By Friday evening, the Boston judge issued a brief ruling stating that the Supreme Court's decision limited his ability to intervene.

Final Orders and International Agreements

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials stated that the men had final orders of removal. Authorities have also established agreements with other countries to house individuals if they cannot be promptly returned to their countries of origin.