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A U.S. federal judge has issued a stern warning to the Trump administration, stating that the deportation of migrants to South Sudan defies a court order and could lead to officials being held in contempt. The ruling, delivered by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston, comes amid growing legal battles over the administration’s aggressive deportation policies.
The controversy erupted after reports surfaced that nearly a dozen migrants were being flown to South Sudan despite an injunction barring their removal to third countries before they could challenge their deportation. Judge Murphy, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, expressed concern that his preliminary injunction had been violated, stating, “I have a strong indication that my order has been ignored.”
During an emergency hearing, Murphy stopped short of ordering the plane to turn around but insisted that the migrants must remain in U.S. custody upon arrival. He suggested that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) could comply with the ruling by keeping the deportees on the tarmac once the flight landed. The judge emphasized that officials could face criminal contempt charges if they failed to adhere to the court’s directive.
The case is part of a broader legal battle between the federal judiciary and the Trump administration, which has ramped up deportations as part of its hardline immigration agenda. The administration’s efforts have faced repeated legal challenges, with courts blocking mass deportations of Venezuelan migrants and other groups under laws historically used only in wartime.
Immigration attorneys representing the deportees argued that sending them to South Sudan, a country plagued by conflict and instability, violates their rights under the U.S. Constitution’s Fifth Amendment. They stressed that the migrants had not been given a meaningful opportunity to contest their removal or raise concerns about potential persecution.
The Department of Homeland Security has yet to respond to the court’s ruling, but legal experts warn that continued defiance could result in severe legal consequences. The case has drawn international attention, with human rights organizations urging the U.S. government to halt deportations to conflict zones and uphold due process protections.
As the legal battle unfolds, the fate of the deported migrants remains uncertain. Judge Murphy has scheduled a follow-up hearing to assess compliance with his order, signaling that the judiciary will continue to scrutinize the administration’s actions. The ruling underscores the ongoing tensions between immigration enforcement and judicial oversight, with broader implications for U.S. deportation policies.