The US has deported eight individuals back to South Sudan despite a fierce legal struggle which saw them initially diverted to Djibouti for several weeks. These men, who include convictions for serious crimes such as murder, sexual assault, and robbery, were nearing the end of their prison sentences. Remarkably, only one of the deportees is originally from South Sudan; the remainder hails from Myanmar, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, and Mexico. US officials indicated that the deportations were complicated by a reluctance from these nations to accept their nationals.
The Trump administration has been pushing to broaden its deportation strategies to include third countries, with previous deportations reported to El Salvador and Costa Rica. Other nations such as Rwanda, Benin, and Angola have surfaced in discussions about potentially accepting deportees as well.
Recent visuals shared by the Department of Homeland Security depicted the men on board the flight, shackled at both hands and feet, and closely monitored by US service personnel. Details on whether the South Sudanese government would detain these individuals upon arrival remain unclear. South Sudan continues to grapple with instability, teetering on the brink of civil war, prompting US State Department warnings about safety concerns in the area.
The eight had originally been scheduled for deportation in May; however, their flight was rerouted to Djibouti after US district judge Brian Murphy from Massachusetts intervened to block the deportation. He ruled that immigrants facing deportation to third countries must be notified and allowed to consult with an asylum officer. More recently, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration, reversing Judge Murphy's decision and allowing the deportations to move forward.
Despite last-minute legal attempts to halt the deportations, a judge maintained that only Judge Murphy could address the jurisdictional issues, who ultimately stated he could not prevent the removals in light of the Supreme Court's ruling. Tricia McLaughlin, representing the Department of Homeland Security, labeled the South Sudan deportation a significant win over what she termed "activist judges." Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio took the step of revoking all visas for South Sudanese passport holders, referencing previous refusals by South Sudan to accept deported nationals.
The Trump administration has been pushing to broaden its deportation strategies to include third countries, with previous deportations reported to El Salvador and Costa Rica. Other nations such as Rwanda, Benin, and Angola have surfaced in discussions about potentially accepting deportees as well.
Recent visuals shared by the Department of Homeland Security depicted the men on board the flight, shackled at both hands and feet, and closely monitored by US service personnel. Details on whether the South Sudanese government would detain these individuals upon arrival remain unclear. South Sudan continues to grapple with instability, teetering on the brink of civil war, prompting US State Department warnings about safety concerns in the area.
The eight had originally been scheduled for deportation in May; however, their flight was rerouted to Djibouti after US district judge Brian Murphy from Massachusetts intervened to block the deportation. He ruled that immigrants facing deportation to third countries must be notified and allowed to consult with an asylum officer. More recently, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration, reversing Judge Murphy's decision and allowing the deportations to move forward.
Despite last-minute legal attempts to halt the deportations, a judge maintained that only Judge Murphy could address the jurisdictional issues, who ultimately stated he could not prevent the removals in light of the Supreme Court's ruling. Tricia McLaughlin, representing the Department of Homeland Security, labeled the South Sudan deportation a significant win over what she termed "activist judges." Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio took the step of revoking all visas for South Sudanese passport holders, referencing previous refusals by South Sudan to accept deported nationals.
