A federal judge issued a firm warning to the Trump administration on Wednesday, stating that deporting immigrants to Libya would breach earlier court rulings.
“If there’s even a hint of uncertainty, if the court hasn’t received sufficient evidence, the press and plaintiffs will back the accounts and public information related to class members. Any potential relief could directly contradict this court’s order,” Judge Bryan Murphy noted in his ruling.
Previously, on April 18, an injunction had granted non-citizens and their legal representatives the chance to contest deportations to countries where they might face persecution.
Murphy instructed the Trump administration to notify affected parties in understandable languages before any deportation action, referencing an April 30 order that barred the Department of Homeland Security from carrying out relocations using other agencies, including the Department of Defense.
In April’s ruling, Murphy emphasized that plaintiffs must have the opportunity to express why deportation to a new country might lead to their persecution, torture, or even death.
“This minimal process is required by the US Constitution…” he added.
Non-citizens from Laos, Vietnam, and the Philippines were reportedly slated for removal to Libya, a nation known for its record of human rights violations.
The divided government in North Africa has expressed intentions to refuse the deportation of these individuals.
