Judge rules White House violated order by deporting migrants to South Sudan

A federal judge has determined that the US government’s effort to send migrants to South Sudan “unquestionably” breached a prior court ruling. Brian E Murphy, the US district judge in Massachusetts, made the statement during an emergency hearing he convened in Boston after the Trump administration’s evident deportation of eight individuals to South Sudan, even though many of them originated from different nations.

On Tuesday, Murphy decided that the Trump administration could not permit a group of migrants being taken to countries that were not theirs to exit the custody of US immigration officials.

Attorneys representing seven individuals – comprising nationals from Burma, Laos, Mexico, and Cuba – who were deported on Tuesday stated that their clients received barely over 24 hours’ notice regarding their expulsion from the US. Judge Murphy stated that the short duration was “clearly inadequate.” The Department of Homeland Security stated that an eighth individual in the group was a South Sudan citizen.

Jonathan Ryan, an attorney representing a Burmese individual referred to as NM in court papers, stated that he first learned his client was being deported to Libya, only to later find out that the individual was actually being sent to South Africa. Approximately two hours following the second notification, Ryan learned that his client was being dispatched to South Sudan.

“I’ve never in 20 years seen anything close to this happening,” said Ryan, who has been representing clients detained in Pearsall, Texas, since 2005.

Confusion surrounds the deportation of a Burmese individual by the Department of Justice, initially suggested to be sent to Myanmar, though final flight details remain unclear. Judge Murphy has demanded clarification on the timing and reasoning behind the decision to send the deportee to Burma, despite concerns raised by the individual’s lawyer, Ryan, about his risks due to ethnic minority status amid Myanmar’s civil conflict and South Sudan’s instability.

Reports indicate that a deportation flight may have stopped in Djibouti. A homeland security spokesperson acknowledged the deportation but refused to confirm the destination, emphasizing the serious crimes of those individuals involved.

Last month, Judge Murphy mandated that individuals removed to a third country must receive due process. Following reports of a flight to South Sudan, he indicated that his injunction had likely been breached.

The spouse of a Vietnamese man allegedly sent to South Sudan appealed for help, expressing concerns. Maj Gen James Enoka stated that no migrants had arrived in South Sudan, and those who did would be investigated and re-deported as necessary.

Immigration lawyers accused the Trump administration of violating Murphy’s order multiple times, including the removal of a Guatemalan man. Murphy emphasized the seriousness of misleading the court under oath and clarified his injunction, requiring formal notice and 10 days for contestation before removals.