Judge Murphy's admonition highlights ongoing tensions between immigration policy and judicial oversight as deportees face uncertain fates.
Judge Raises Alarm Over US Deportations to South Sudan Amid Legal Contempt Concerns
Judge Raises Alarm Over US Deportations to South Sudan Amid Legal Contempt Concerns
Federal court warns Trump administration may violate judicial orders with recent migrant removals.
A federal judge has issued a stern warning regarding the potential for the Trump administration to face contempt of court charges due to the deportation of migrants to South Sudan. Judge Brian Murphy stated that these removals could breach his recent ruling that prevents the US government from deporting individuals to third countries without offering them a viable opportunity to contest their removal.
On Tuesday, immigration lawyers filed an emergency motion after learning that a deportation flight had recently arrived in South Sudan with a dozen migrants onboard. This incident intensifies the confrontations between President Trump and the judiciary as he aims to fulfill his promise of large-scale deportations.
Lawyers from the National Immigration Litigation Alliance requested Judge Murphy for an emergency order to halt the deportations. They reported that individuals from Myanmar and Vietnam were among those removed. Judge Murphy, appointed by President Biden and seated in Boston, expressed concern about a possible violation of his preliminary injunction. He remarked, "I have a strong indication that my preliminary injunction order has been violated," during a hearing.
The Department of Justice attorney, Elianis Perez, argued that one migrant, a Burmese national, was returned to Myanmar instead of South Sudan, while the circumstances surrounding another Vietnamese individual’s deportation were classified due to his past conviction for murder. An attorney representing these migrants indicated that at least one rapist was also included in the deportation flight.
While Judge Murphy did not command the flight to return to the US, he insisted that the migrants be kept in custody and treated humanely until a hearing could occur later this week, potentially preventing the plane from leaving the tarmac immediately after landing.
Murphy's ruling from April required that undocumented migrants be afforded the chance to challenge their deportation to non-homeland countries. Concerns arose after it was reported that some migrants might be sent to Libya, which Judge Murphy deemed a violation of his previous order.
The harsh backdrop of these deportations lies in South Sudan’s troubled history, having suffered immense violence and civil strife since achieving independence in 2011. The US State Department currently advises against travel to the country due to dangers stemming from crime and conflict.
The current situation represents another tense constitutional interaction between branches of government, especially in the wake of previous rulings where judges found Trump administration officials liable for contempt over other immigration-related matters.
On Tuesday, immigration lawyers filed an emergency motion after learning that a deportation flight had recently arrived in South Sudan with a dozen migrants onboard. This incident intensifies the confrontations between President Trump and the judiciary as he aims to fulfill his promise of large-scale deportations.
Lawyers from the National Immigration Litigation Alliance requested Judge Murphy for an emergency order to halt the deportations. They reported that individuals from Myanmar and Vietnam were among those removed. Judge Murphy, appointed by President Biden and seated in Boston, expressed concern about a possible violation of his preliminary injunction. He remarked, "I have a strong indication that my preliminary injunction order has been violated," during a hearing.
The Department of Justice attorney, Elianis Perez, argued that one migrant, a Burmese national, was returned to Myanmar instead of South Sudan, while the circumstances surrounding another Vietnamese individual’s deportation were classified due to his past conviction for murder. An attorney representing these migrants indicated that at least one rapist was also included in the deportation flight.
While Judge Murphy did not command the flight to return to the US, he insisted that the migrants be kept in custody and treated humanely until a hearing could occur later this week, potentially preventing the plane from leaving the tarmac immediately after landing.
Murphy's ruling from April required that undocumented migrants be afforded the chance to challenge their deportation to non-homeland countries. Concerns arose after it was reported that some migrants might be sent to Libya, which Judge Murphy deemed a violation of his previous order.
The harsh backdrop of these deportations lies in South Sudan’s troubled history, having suffered immense violence and civil strife since achieving independence in 2011. The US State Department currently advises against travel to the country due to dangers stemming from crime and conflict.
The current situation represents another tense constitutional interaction between branches of government, especially in the wake of previous rulings where judges found Trump administration officials liable for contempt over other immigration-related matters.
