Judge Orders Return of Plane Carrying Convicted Immigrants to South Sudan

A federal judge appointed by Biden made a significant decision on Wednesday morning, ruling that a plane transporting illegal immigrants—who have been convicted of serious crimes—must return to the U.S. The plane is carrying eight individuals, all facing various charges including murder, robbery, and more according to information from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The DHS reported that these individuals had complied with prior court orders. During a press conference, a judge expressed strong sentiments about the situation, referring to the crimes committed by these migrants as “heinous,” citing the fear they have instilled in communities across America.

Among those on board is Enrique Arias Hiero, a Cuban national convicted of several serious offenses including murder and armed robbery. He was apprehended by ICE on May 2. Another Cuban, Jose Manuel Rodriguez Quinones, was arrested shortly before him on April 30 for first-degree murder, battery, theft, and drug charges.

Also on the flight is Thongxay Nilakout, a Lao citizen sentenced to life imprisonment for first-degree murder and robbery, who was arrested earlier this year. Additionally, Mexican citizen Jesus Munoz Gutierrez, who was taken into custody after being convicted of second-degree murder, is included as well.

On the list of deportees is Diane Peter Domach from South Sudan, found guilty of DUI and various robbery offenses, who was arrested by ICE this month. Two Burmese nationals, Kyaw Mya and NYO Myint, are also being sent back; they have faced charges including serious sexual offenses and were arrested in February.

There’s also Tang Hwang from Vietnam, who has been convicted of first-degree murder and other violent crimes. The judge, Brian Murphy, remarked that the Biden administration must indeed maintain custody of these immigrants and must take steps to avoid any illegal deportations.

Concerns have been raised by lawyers representing these individuals, particularly over accusations that the Trump administration has been unlawfully deporting clients to third-party countries. They argue that these actions violate previous court orders, which stipulate that immigrants should be given a “meaningful opportunity” to prove that deportation would pose a risk to their safety.

Murphy had established earlier that deporting individuals to places like Libya without notice would contravene the regulations surrounding third-party removals. The evolving legal landscape surrounding immigration policies continues to hinge on these complex judgments and interpretations.