Following a recent Supreme Court ruling, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is prepared to escalate deportations to third countries like South Sudan, eliciting fears about the safety and future of those affected.
U.S. Expands Use of Third-Country Deportations Amid Legal Changes
U.S. Expands Use of Third-Country Deportations Amid Legal Changes
The Trump administration is implementing new guidance for deportations to South Sudan, igniting concerns over migrant safety.
Eight days post-deportation of eight migrants to South Sudan by U.S. immigration authorities, uncertainties about their status abound. The Trump administration, labeling the deportees as "the worst of the worst," claims it no longer holds responsibility for the group who remains unreachable to their families. The South Sudanese government confirmed their arrival but provided no details on their current condition or future prospects.
With this Supreme Court ruling validating the legal foundation for these deportations, immigration specialists foresee a potential surge in so-called “third-country” deportations. This approach can streamline deportations, permitting the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to act quickly if a nation offers “credible diplomatic assurances” against torture or persecution for the deportees.
Recent ICE guidelines indicate that deportations could occur within a mere six hours if migrants do not voice any objections about their return to certain countries. Legal experts express concern that this newfound authority may embolden the Trump administration to pursue such deportations more aggressively.
Trina Realmuto, an attorney for the affected migrants, emphasized that the ambiguity surrounding the fates of these men breeds anxiety—not just for the deportees themselves but also for their family members, caught in a seemingly untenable situation without communication or support.
With this Supreme Court ruling validating the legal foundation for these deportations, immigration specialists foresee a potential surge in so-called “third-country” deportations. This approach can streamline deportations, permitting the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to act quickly if a nation offers “credible diplomatic assurances” against torture or persecution for the deportees.
Recent ICE guidelines indicate that deportations could occur within a mere six hours if migrants do not voice any objections about their return to certain countries. Legal experts express concern that this newfound authority may embolden the Trump administration to pursue such deportations more aggressively.
Trina Realmuto, an attorney for the affected migrants, emphasized that the ambiguity surrounding the fates of these men breeds anxiety—not just for the deportees themselves but also for their family members, caught in a seemingly untenable situation without communication or support.
