Judge Rules on Trump’s Deportation Policy
A federal judge has decided that President Donald Trump’s administration must keep control of illegal immigrants who are deported to South Sudan if such removals are deemed illegal. This ruling emphasizes the administration’s responsibility to transfer these individuals back to the US if necessary.
Massachusetts US District Judge Brian Murphy issued the decision on Tuesday evening after a lawyer representing illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Vietnam claimed that the Trump administration had wrongfully deported them to a third country. They argue there are court orders that prohibit this kind of action.
In his ruling, Murphy noted that the government “should maintain custody and control” over the individuals currently being sent to South Sudan or other countries, ensuring that a return is feasible if the court concludes the removals are illegal.
Immigration lawyers contend that this deportation process violates a court order, which mandates that immigrants should be given a “meaningful opportunity” to prove that they are unsafe when sent to a third country.
Judge Murphy had previously expressed concern, highlighting that plans to expel individuals to Libya without notification would “evidently” breach his earlier orders. On Tuesday, he instructed US officials to appear in court to identify the affected immigrants and to provide information regarding their locations.
The Department of Homeland Security has not yet responded to inquiries from various news outlets regarding this situation.
In April, the US announced it would revoke visas held by South Sudan passport holders and that no new visas would be issued immediately. This change has been attributed to various operational failures.
Notably, the US has only a few agreements for third-party deportations, primarily with countries like El Salvador, which has accepted several Venezuelan illegal immigrants sent during Trump’s administration.
This complex situation underscores ongoing challenges faced by the Trump administration in implementing its deportation policies, especially as the East African nation grapples with conflict and instability.
