Deported Migrants Remain Detained in Djibouti Following Court Ruling
A group of eight migrants deported from the U.S. to South Sudan will remain in Djibouti after a court ruling found their rights to contest expulsion insufficiently considered. Judge Brian Murphy mandated better notice and legal support for the migrants, expressing concerns over potential human rights violations. The ruling has drawn criticism from former President Trump, indicating ongoing tensions surrounding U.S. immigration policy.
A group of migrants deported from the United States to South Sudan will remain detained in Djibouti after a recent court ruling. The U.S. government stated on May 22, 2025, that it had expelled eight individuals from various nations due to prior convictions for violent crimes. These migrants departed on a flight towards South Sudan on a Tuesday because the U.S. could not secure permissions to send them back to their original countries.
Currently, the Department of Homeland Security is holding the group at a significant U.S. military base in Djibouti. This situation arose following a ruling by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston, who indicated that the Trump administration violated a previous order regarding the migrants’ rights to contest their deportations. Murphy criticized the time allowed for these migrants to appeal their removal to South Sudan as “plainly insufficient.”
South Sudan faces ongoing challenges, including widespread insecurity and political unrest, prompting the U.S. State Department to advise against travel to the nation. Judge Murphy emphasized that the migrants should be informed with adequate notice and allotted at least ten days to contest their expulsions, in line with the United Nations Convention Against Torture.
Moreover, he ruled that six of the deportees should have the opportunity to express their fears of torture or mistreatment in South Sudan with the assistance of legal counsel. Even if the Department of Homeland Security found these fears to be unwarranted, he stated they must grant a minimum of fifteen days for appeal concerning deportation proceedings.
The ruling prompted a response from former President Trump on his Truth Social platform, where he criticized Judge Murphy for preventing the migrants from reaching South Sudan. Trump noted that these were among the “most violent criminals on Earth” and claimed that the courts have become “absolutely out of control.”
The U.S. government identified the group as consisting of two citizens from Myanmar, two from Cuba, a Vietnamese national, a Laotian, a Mexican, and one from South Sudan. While officials maintained that the migrants had been adequately warned about their deportation, legal representatives for the Vietnamese individual and one of the Myanmar citizens indicated that their clients received notification only shortly before their flight.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said that South Sudan was not the migrants’ “final destination”, suggesting that the situation remains complex and unresolved.
Overall, this case underscores ongoing tensions surrounding immigration and deportation policies under current U.S. administration. The government will likely continue to face scrutiny as the legal processes unfold and additional decisions are made regarding these migrants’ futures.
In conclusion, the detention of deported migrants at a U.S. military base in Djibouti has raised significant legal and humanitarian concerns. Judge Murphy’s ruling reflects a push for greater legal protections for individuals facing deportation, particularly to countries with poor human rights records. Former President Trump’s outspoken criticism highlights the controversial nature of immigration policies in the U.S. as legal proceedings continue to unfold concerning these individuals’ deportations.
Original Source: www.thehindu.com
