The U.S. has allegedly deported a group of migrants to an East African country on the brink of civil war.
Lawyers from the National Immigration Litigation Alliance said their clients were deported to South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation.
In an emergency hearing called by Judge Brian Murphy on Tuesday, lawyers said one Vietnamese client had been given less than 24 hours’ notice of his removal, NPR reports.
Highlights
- The U.S. has allegedly deported migrants, including Vietnamese and Myanmar nationals, to South Sudan amid rising tensions in the nation.
- A judge warned the Trump administration may have violated a court order requiring migrants a chance to contest deportation.
- The migrants were given less than 24 hours' notice and no access to native language support before removal, lawyers said.
A judge warned that an alleged deportation could have violated his previous court order
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The same man, known as T.T.P., also had no ability to contest the removal in his native language, they said.
His wife reported that he had been sent to the African nation alongside 10 other people.
Lawyers for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed T.T.P. had been deported but refused to say where, stating it was classified.
Court records showed that a man from Myanmar was also deported, as confirmed in an email from a Texas immigration official, ABC News reports.
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Lawyers said he was given notice only in English—a language he struggles to understand—and they were alerted just hours before he was put on a flight.
Murphy has now warned that U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration could be in contempt of court, as a previous order ruled migrants must be given “meaningful opportunity” to challenge their deportation to third countries.
As reported in several U.S. media outlets, he told a lawyer for the DOJ: “I have a strong indication that my preliminary injunction order has been violated.”
The DHS has been ordered to retain custody of those deported to South Sudan
“Based on what I have been told, this seems like it may be contempt,” Murphy added.
Murphy has directed the DHS to retain custody of migrants deported to South Sudan or any third country until a further court hearing.
It was necessary “to ensure the practical feasibility of return if the Court finds that such removals were unlawful,” Murphy said.
“While the Court leaves the practicalities of compliance to Defendants’ discretion, Defendants have ensured, and the Court expects, that class members will be treated humanely,” he added.
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Murphy, a Biden appointee, had previously determined that deporting migrants to Libya without prior notice would “clearly” be a breach of his order, which remains in effect even for those who have exhausted legal options.
The UN has been warning that South Sudan is on the brink of another civil war as violence against civilians continues to rise.
Violence in the nation, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, broke out in December 2013 between forces backing President Salva Kiir and those aligned with his political rival, Riek Machar.
The UN fears South Sudan is on the brink of another civil war after a previous conflict killed hundreds of thousands of people
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The conflict resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands and forced millions from their homes.
A peace deal signed in 2018 brought the fighting to an end and led to the formation of a unity government.
But the UN fears a return to full-scale war in the wake of rising tensions, including the arrest of Machar in March and fresh mobilization of the army and opposing armed groups in some regions.
The Trump administration’s alleged decision to send migrants there comes as federal courts continue to challenge him over his immigration crackdown.
One of the most high-profile legal battles involves the deportation of alleged gang members to the notorious CECOT prison in El Salvador, known for its harsh conditions and ties to criminal organizations.
Trump has criticized judges for blocking his plans, frequently calling them “activist judges” and accusing them of undermining his authority to protect U.S. borders.