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The United States has deported eight men to South Sudan following a prolonged legal dispute, with the group briefly diverted to Djibouti during the process. The men, convicted of serious crimes including murder, sexual assault, and robbery, had either completed or were nearing the end of their prison sentences.
Only one of the deportees is a South Sudanese national, with the others originating from Myanmar, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, and Mexico. US authorities stated that most of their home countries refused to accept them, prompting the deportations to a third country. The Trump administration has been actively pursuing third-country deportation agreements, with El Salvador and Costa Rica already receiving deportees. Discussions have also been reported with Rwanda, Benin, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, and Moldova as potential recipient nations. A photograph released by the US Department of Homeland Security, shared with CBS News, showed the men shackled by their hands and feet aboard a plane, guarded by US service members. The deportations faced legal challenges when US District Judge Brian Murphy in Massachusetts temporarily blocked the process in May, ruling that migrants sent to third countries must be notified and given the opportunity to speak with an asylum officer. However, the US Supreme Court overturned this decision last week, stating that Judge Murphy could no longer mandate due process hearings. A subsequent attempt by lawyers to halt the deportations through another judge was unsuccessful, as he ruled only Judge Murphy had jurisdiction. Judge Murphy then confirmed he lacked the authority to intervene further due to the Supreme Court’s “binding” ruling. Tricia McLaughlin from the Department of Homeland Security hailed the deportation as a triumph over “activist judges.” Earlier this year, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked all visas for South Sudanese passport holders, citing the country’s refusal to accept deported nationals. South Sudan, where the men have been sent, remains highly unstable and is teetering on the edge of civil war. The US State Department has issued a travel warning for the country due to ongoing risks of crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict. It is unclear whether South Sudanese authorities have detained the deportees or what their fate will be.
