Eight days have passed since the U.S. government deported eight male migrants to conflict-ridden South Sudan, following months of legal turmoil. Their fates are now shrouded in uncertainty, as both the U.S. government and South Sudan have offered vague statements regarding their safety and whereabouts. The Trump administration has distanced itself, asserting it is no longer responsible for these men, who were previously convicted of crimes in the U.S.
The South Sudan government acknowledged the migrants but provided no information about their current situation. Families of the deported individuals have not had any contact since they arrived in the country on July 4. Experts on immigration law are raising alarms regarding potential future implications of this situation, particularly following a recent Supreme Court ruling that upheld such deportations.
Following the ruling, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued new internal guidance to expedite "third-country" deportations. This tactic allows migrants to be sent not to their home countries but to other nations, like South Sudan, based on their perceived threat level. The new rules state that deportations can proceed if a country provides “credible diplomatic assurances” that the deportees will not face torture or persecution — criteria that critics argue is defined too loosely.
Under these guidelines, deportations can be completed in as little as six hours if migrants do not express fear of returning to that country, creating an alarming precedent for swift removal processes without adequate safeguards. Trina Realmuto, a lawyer for the South Sudan deportees, noted that this lack of information perpetuates fear among families left behind, placing them in distressing uncertainty over the fate of their loved ones.
As the administration appears more emboldened to adopt aggressive immigration tactics, the implications for migrant safety and rights may continue to deteriorate amid little public awareness or scrutiny.
The South Sudan government acknowledged the migrants but provided no information about their current situation. Families of the deported individuals have not had any contact since they arrived in the country on July 4. Experts on immigration law are raising alarms regarding potential future implications of this situation, particularly following a recent Supreme Court ruling that upheld such deportations.
Following the ruling, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued new internal guidance to expedite "third-country" deportations. This tactic allows migrants to be sent not to their home countries but to other nations, like South Sudan, based on their perceived threat level. The new rules state that deportations can proceed if a country provides “credible diplomatic assurances” that the deportees will not face torture or persecution — criteria that critics argue is defined too loosely.
Under these guidelines, deportations can be completed in as little as six hours if migrants do not express fear of returning to that country, creating an alarming precedent for swift removal processes without adequate safeguards. Trina Realmuto, a lawyer for the South Sudan deportees, noted that this lack of information perpetuates fear among families left behind, placing them in distressing uncertainty over the fate of their loved ones.
As the administration appears more emboldened to adopt aggressive immigration tactics, the implications for migrant safety and rights may continue to deteriorate amid little public awareness or scrutiny.
