A US federal judge, Brian Murphy, has expressed concerns that the Trump administration may have violated a court order by deporting migrants to South Sudan without ensuring they had a chance to raise safety concerns. The judge warned that this potential violation could amount to criminal contempt.
*Background*
The controversy began when the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) instructed immigration officers to review cases of people granted protections against removal to their home countries, potentially leading to re-detention and deportation to a third country. Judge Murphy had previously issued a preliminary injunction requiring the administration to provide written notice to migrants before removing them to a country not listed on their final orders of deportation. The injunction also mandated a “meaningful opportunity” for migrants to raise any fears for their safety .
*Deportations to South Sudan*
Nearly a dozen migrants held at a detention facility in Texas were reportedly flown to South Sudan, including nationals from Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Pakistan, and Mexico. Lawyers for the migrants argued that conditions in South Sudan are perilous, even for locals, and that the country’s spiraling political crisis could reignite the brutal civil war that ended in 2018.
– *Dangerous Conditions:* South Sudan’s fragile political landscape and recent violence between government troops and armed opposition groups have escalated tensions.
– *United Nations Warning:*
The UN has cautioned about the country’s deteriorating political situation, potentially rekindling the civil war that concluded in 2018 .
*Judge’s Ruling and Government Response*
Judge Murphy ordered the Trump administration not to let the migrants leave US immigration authorities’ custody, pending a further hearing. While he didn’t order the plane to turn around, he suggested that DHS could comply by keeping the migrants on the plane or on the tarmac.
– *Potential Contempt:*
Murphy warned that officials could be held in criminal contempt if they violated his previous order.
– *Government Defense :*
DHS did not believe it was violating the injunction, but the judge directed the agency to ensure the pilots were aware of his order .
*Implications*
This development marks another clash between the federal judiciary and the Trump administration over immigration policies. The Supreme Court had previously maintained a block on Trump’s deportations of Venezuelan migrants, faulting the administration for inadequate due process ².
