In a serious warning, a federal judge has signaled that the Trump administration may face contempt of court over recent deportations of migrants to South Sudan. Judge Brian Murphy expressed concerns that these actions could violate his prior ruling, which prohibits the US government from sending migrants to third countries without allowing them a "meaningful opportunity" to contest their deportation.
This development unfolds as immigration attorneys submitted an emergency plea to the judge, bringing to light that a flight, with a dozen individuals aboard, had recently arrived in South Sudan. This case marks a significant confrontation between federal courts and the administration, as Trump aims to fulfill his campaign promise of extensive deportations.
The National Immigration Litigation Alliance submitted a request for immediate intervention to stop the removals, arguing that people from Myanmar and Vietnam were among those deported. Judge Murphy, who was appointed by President Biden, noted his suspicion that the government's actions violated his previous injunction, warning, "I have a strong indication that my preliminary injunction order has been violated" and that such actions could constitute contempt.
In defense, Department of Justice lawyer Elianis Perez claimed that one deportee, a Burmese national, was returned to Myanmar, not South Sudan, while details concerning a Vietnamese man remained undisclosed for classification reasons. Notably, it was reported that the deportation flight also included an individual convicted of rape.
While Judge Murphy opted against reversing the deportation flight's course, he mandated that the migrants be held in custody and treated humanely until a scheduled hearing. He suggested that this could involve keeping the deportation flight on the tarmac.
Judge Murphy previously ruled on April 18 that migrants should be permitted to challenge deportations to third countries outside their homelands. After some alarming reports about deportations potentially headed for Libya, he reiterated that such actions would breach his ruling. The BBC has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for a response.
The situation escalated when an attorney for a Burmese detainee, known only as N.M., became concerned after her client went missing from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainee tracker. Upon inquiry, she learned he had been deported to South Sudan, a country notorious for crime and armed conflict. Similarly, the spouse of the Vietnamese deportee, identified as T.T.P., reported that multiple individuals from various nations, including Laos and Pakistan, were also among the deported group.
As the world’s youngest nation, South Sudan has seen significant turmoil since its independence, raising substantial concerns for deportees regarding safety and human rights. The US government’s travel advisory warns against traveling to the region due to severe risks.
In the high-stakes landscape of US immigration policy, this case represents a critical clash between the judicial system and executive power, echoing recent instances where judges have rebuked Trump officials for similar violations of court orders concerning deportations.
