Latest news with #SouthSudan-bound
Newsweek
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Supreme Court Clears Path for Trump Deportations to South Sudan
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for the deportation of several immigrants who were placed on a flight to South Sudan in May—a conflict-ridden nation where they have no familial or cultural ties. In a decision driven by the court's conservative majority, justices ruled that immigration authorities have broad power to swiftly deport individuals to third countries. The ruling halts a lower court order that had temporarily allowed migrants to challenge their removal to countries outside their homeland where they might face danger. The court's action now permits the delayed deportation flight to South Sudan to proceed. It overturns findings by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy of Massachusetts, who previously stated that his narrower order protecting the South Sudan-bound migrants remained in effect despite the Supreme Court lifting his broader injunction. In a brief unsigned opinion, the majority asserted that its June 23 decision not only nullified Murphy's broader ruling but also rendered his directive concerning the South Sudan deportations "unenforceable." As is typical for rulings on the high court's emergency docket, the justices did not elaborate on the full legal reasoning behind the decision. US Associate Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito, Jr., Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh and U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts look on during inauguration ceremonies in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on January... US Associate Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito, Jr., Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh and U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts look on during inauguration ceremonies in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2025, in Washington, Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, criticizing the ruling for granting the government preferential treatment. "Other litigants must follow the rules, but the administration has the Supreme Court on speed dial," Sotomayor wrote. Attorneys for the eight men aboard the South Sudan flight argued that deporting them would expose them to grave risks. "We know they'll face perilous conditions, and potentially immediate detention, upon arrival," said Trina Realmuto, executive director of the National Immigration Litigation Alliance. The migrants' legal team warned they could face "imprisonment, torture and even death" in South Sudan, where renewed political tensions have raised fears of another civil war. The Trump administration, which has launched an expansive immigration crackdown and vowed to deport millions living illegally in the U.S., praised the Supreme Court's intervention. It had previously described Murphy's ruling as "a lawless act of defiance." The White House and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Though the migrants had been convicted of serious crimes in the United States, their legal team contended they were entitled to present claims that removal to a third country, especially one as unstable as South Sudan, posed a risk of torture. Judge Murphy, a Biden appointee, had agreed in part—ruling not against deportation to third countries outright, but affirming that migrants must have a genuine opportunity to argue they would be endangered if transferred to such nations. Meanwhile, U.S. authorities have increasingly relied on agreements with third countries to house deportees when repatriation to their home nations is not feasible. This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
Newsweek
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Donald Trump Makes New Supreme Court Request Over Migrant Deportations
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Trump administration on Tuesday urged the Supreme Court to authorize the deportation of several immigrants to South Sudan, a nation plagued by conflict and instability, despite the migrants having no personal or familial connections to the country. This request came just one day after the high court permitted immigration officials to resume expedited removals to third countries, effectively pausing a lower court's decision that had allowed certain migrants to contest deportation if they feared danger in the receiving country. However, U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston ruled that a specific deportation flight—diverted to Djibouti in May—could not immediately proceed to South Sudan. Although he acknowledged the Supreme Court's temporary stay of his broader ruling, he maintained that his decision regarding the flight still stood. Murphy emphasized that the migrants on board must be given the opportunity to present their claims in court, specifically that they risk torture if returned to South Sudan. In a forceful legal response, the Trump administration condemned the judge's decision, calling it "a lawless act of defiance that, once again, disrupts sensitive diplomatic relations and slams the brakes on the Executive's lawful efforts to effectuate third-country removals." Attorneys representing the immigrants argued that deportation to South Sudan could subject their clients to "imprisonment, torture and even death." South Sudan, the world's youngest nation after gaining independence in 2011, has been plagued by waves of political violence, and recent tensions have reignited fears of civil war. The administration's push to remove the migrants is part of a broader crackdown on immigration under President Trump, who has vowed to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. In cases where home countries refuse to accept deportees, the U.S. has negotiated deals with third countries, including Panama and Costa Rica, to take them instead. Judge Murphy, a Biden appointee, did not categorically ban third-country removals. However, he ruled that due process requires migrants to have a legitimate chance to argue they face a substantial risk of torture if deported. He found that in the case of the South Sudan-bound flight, immigration authorities violated his earlier injunction by quickly organizing the removal of eight men—originating from Myanmar, Vietnam, and Mexico—who had been convicted of serious crimes in the U.S. In response, the administration appealed directly to the Supreme Court, arguing that the judge had exceeded his authority. The court's conservative majority granted the government's request, halting Murphy's broader order in a brief, unsigned decision. As is typical with emergency docket rulings, the majority offered no explanation. All three liberal justices dissented from the ruling. Though the dissent was not attributed to a specific justice, it was described as "scathing," signaling deep concern over the implications of bypassing judicial review in life-threatening deportation cases. This article includes reporting by The Associated Press. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
