US deports eight men to South Sudan after legal battle
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US deports eight men to South Sudan after legal battle
US deports eight men to South Sudan after legal battle in the US. The men were convicted of crimes including murder, sexual assault and robbery. Only one of the eight is from South Sudan. The rest are from Myanmar, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos and Mexico. US officials said most of their home countries had refused to accept them. But the Supreme Court has now ruled that the deportations can go ahead. It is not yet clear whether the men will be detained in South Sudan or elsewhere in the country. The U.S. State Department has warned against travel to the region because of civil war.
The deported men shackled by both hands and feet, guarded by US service members, aboard the plane
The Trump administration is working to expand its deportations to third countries.
Only one of the eight is from South Sudan. The rest are nationals of Myanmar, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos and Mexico. US officials said most of their home countries had refused to accept them.
The men – convicted of crimes including murder, sexual assault and robbery – had either completed or were near the end of their prison sentences.
The US has deported eight people to South Sudan following a legal battle that saw them diverted to Djibouti for several weeks.
It has deported people to El Salvador and Costa Rica. Rwanda has confirmed discussions and Benin, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini and Moldova have been named in media reports as potential recipient countries.
A photo provided by the department of homeland security to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, showed the men on the plane, their hands and feet shackled.
Officials did not say whether the South Sudanese government had detained them or what their fate would be.
Edmund Yakani, who runs a civil society organisation in South Sudan, told the BBC World Service he was allowed to briefly see the eight people, but did not get a chance to speak to them.
The eight were in a civilian facility in the capital Juba under the watch of police and the national security service, Mr Yakani said, adding they were not in handcuffs and appeared to be in good condition.
The status of the group was still unclear and he hopes the government provides clarity on Monday, he added.
South Sudan remains unstable and is on the brink of civil war, with the US State Department warning against travel because of “crime, kidnapping and armed conflict”.
The eight had initially been flown out of the US in May, but their plane was diverted to Djibouti after US district judge Brian Murphy in Massachusetts blocked the deportation. He had ruled that migrants being deported to third countries must be given notice and a chance to speak with an asylum officer.
But last week, the Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration and overturned Judge Murphy’s ruling. On Thursday, the Supreme Court confirmed that the judge could no longer require due process hearings, allowing the deportations to proceed.
Lawyers then asked another judge to intervene but he ultimately ruled only Judge Murphy had jurisdiction. Judge Murphy then said he had no authority to stop the removals due to the Supreme Court’s “binding” decision.
Tricia McLaughlin from the US Department of Homeland Security called the South Sudan deportation a victory over “activist judges”.
Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked all visas for South Sudanese passport holders, citing the country’s past refusal to accept deported nationals.
US Deports 8 Convicts to South Sudan After Supreme Court Greenlight
Eight foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes in the U.S. have been deported to South Sudan. The deportees, mostly from countries like Myanmar, Cuba, and Mexico, were redirected after their home countries refused to take them. The Supreme Court overruled a lower court’s halt on their deportation, clearing the path for their controversial transfer to the conflict-prone African nation. Their current legal or custodial status in South Sudan remains unclear, but reports indicate they are being held in a civilian facility in Juba under police and national security watch. Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the United States had begun a large-scale deportation operation affecting over 1.4 million noncitizens, as the Trump administration moves forward with its immigration crackdown..
The deportees, mostly from countries like Myanmar, Cuba, and Mexico, were redirected to South Sudan after their home countries refused to take them
The Supreme Court overruled a lower court’s halt on their deportation, clearing the path for their controversial transfer to the conflict-prone African nation
Eight men convicted of serious crimes in the United States have been deported to South Sudan, concluding a prolonged legal dispute that delayed their removal for weeks.
The group, comprising individuals from Myanmar, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, Mexico, and only one from South Sudan, was sent to the East African nation after their original deportation flight was rerouted to Djibouti in May following a court injunction.
Supreme Court overturns a judgment blocking the convicts’ deportation to South Sudan. Photo: DHS
Source: Original
The deportees had served or were close to completing sentences for offenses ranging from murder to sexual assault and robbery. However, due to diplomatic pushbacks from their respective home countries, most could not be returned to their nations of origin.
As a result, the U.S. opted to relocate them to a third country under a growing policy shift that allows for such transfers in deportation cases.
Photos released by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) showed the deportees on board the aircraft with their hands and feet shackled.
Though their current legal or custodial status in South Sudan remains unclear, reports from local civil society advocate Edmund Yakani indicated they were being held in a civilian facility in Juba under police and national security watch.
Yakani said they appeared to be in good physical condition and were no longer restrained.
Deportation initially halted by US court
The group’s deportation was initially halted by a ruling from U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, who said individuals being deported to third countries must be informed and granted access to an asylum officer. But the U.S. Supreme Court overturned that decision last week, effectively stripping Murphy of jurisdiction and allowing the removals to proceed.
Attempts by the deportees’ legal team to find another judge to block the deportations failed. With no remaining legal obstacles, the men were flown to South Sudan despite uncertainties surrounding their citizenship and the volatile conditions in the receiving country.
Reacting to the outcome, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin described the deportation as a victory against “activist judges,” framing it as a step toward stronger enforcement under the Trump administration’s evolving immigration policies.
South Sudan, still reeling from years of conflict and instability, has offered no official statement on whether it will detain, release, or repatriate the men.
Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked visas for South Sudanese nationals after the government refused to accept its deportees, signaling long-standing tensions over U.S. immigration enforcement in the region.
Full list of countries whose citizens Trump is deporting
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the United States had begun a large-scale deportation operation affecting over 1.4 million noncitizens, as the Trump administration moves forward with its immigration crackdown.
The deportations, targeting individuals with final removal orders, span more than 150 countries, making this one of the most extensive removal efforts in U.S. history.
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Source: Legit.ng
US deports eight men to South Sudan after legal battle
The men were convicted of crimes including murder, sexual assault and robbery. They had either completed or were near the end of their prison sentences. Only one of the eight is from South Sudan. The rest are nationals of Myanmar, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos and Mexico. US officials said most of their home countries had refused to accept them. They were initially flown out of the US in May, but their plane was diverted to Djibouti after a judge blocked the deportation.
The US has deported eight people to South Sudan following a legal battle that saw them diverted to Djibouti for several weeks.
The men – convicted of crimes including murder, sexual assault and robbery – had either completed or were near the end of their prison sentences.
Only one of the eight is from South Sudan. The rest are nationals of Myanmar, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos and Mexico. US officials said most of their home countries had refused to accept them.
The Trump administration is working to expand its deportations to third countries.
It has deported people to El Salvador and Costa Rica. Rwanda has confirmed discussions and Benin, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini and Moldova have been named in media reports as potential recipient countries.
A photo provided by the department of homeland security to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, showed the men on the plane, their hands and feet shackled.
Officials did not say whether the South Sudanese government had detained them or what their fate would be. The country remains unstable and is on the brink of civil war, with the US State Department warning against travel because of “crime, kidnapping and armed conflict”.
The eight had initially been flown out of the US in May, but their plane was diverted to Djibouti after US district judge Brian Murphy in Massachusetts blocked the deportation. He had ruled that migrants being deported to third countries must be given notice and a chance to speak with an asylum officer.
But last week, the Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration and overturned Judge Murphy’s ruling. On Thursday, the Supreme Court confirmed that the judge could no longer require due process hearings, allowing the deportations to proceed.
Lawyers then asked another judge to intervene but he ultimately ruled that only Judge Murphy had jurisdiction. Judge Murphy then said he had no authority to stop the removals due to the Supreme Court’s “binding” decision.
Tricia McLaughlin from the department of homeland security called the South Sudan deportation a victory over “activist judges”.
Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked all visas for South Sudanese passport holders, citing the country’s past refusal to accept deported nationals.
US Deports Eight Convicted Criminals to South Sudan Despite Citizenship Concerns
The eight men were convicted of serious crimes including murder, sexual assault, and robbery. Six of the eight deportees are nationals of Myanmar, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, and Mexico. U.S. officials said that their respective home countries had refused to take them back, prompting the decision to deport them to a third country. It remains unclear whether South Sudanese authorities have detained the men or what their future holds in a country teetering on the brink of civil war. The US State Department continues to warn against travel to South Sudan, citing rampant crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict.
The deportation, carried out this week, comes after weeks of delay. The men, who had either completed or were nearing the end of their prison sentences, were initially flown out in May. However, their flight was diverted to Djibouti after US District Judge Brian Murphy temporarily blocked the deportation, ruling that individuals being sent to third countries must be given notice and an opportunity to speak with asylum officers.
Six of the eight deportees are nationals of Myanmar, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, and Mexico. U.S. officials said that their respective home countries had refused to take them back, prompting the decision to deport them to a third country—South Sudan.
The legal standoff ended last week when the US Supreme Court overturned Judge Murphy’s decision, ruling that he could no longer require due process hearings in such deportations. This cleared the way for the removals to proceed. A follow-up appeal to another judge was denied on jurisdictional grounds, and Murphy ultimately acknowledged he had no authority to intervene further.
Photos released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) showed the eight men shackled at the hands and feet aboard the deportation flight. It remains unclear whether South Sudanese authorities have detained the men or what their future holds in a country teetering on the brink of civil war. The US State Department continues to warn against travel to South Sudan, citing rampant crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict.
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for DHS, described the deportation as a victory against “activist judges” attempting to block the federal government’s immigration enforcement.
The case highlights the Trump administration’s growing use of third-country deportations. Previous removals have been made to El Salvador and Costa Rica, and Rwanda has acknowledged similar discussions. Media reports have also named Benin, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, and Moldova as potential recipient countries for future deportations.
Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked all visas for South Sudanese passport holders, citing the country’s past refusal to accept its deported nationals.
Chioma Kalu
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US deports 8 men to South Sudan after weeks of legal wrangling, mostly men not from there
US deports 8 men to South Sudan after weeks of legal wrangling, mostly men not from there. The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for the transfer of the men who had been put on a flight in May bound for South Sudan. That meant that the South Sudan transfer could be completed after the flight was detoured to a base in Djibouti, where the men were held in a converted shipping container. War-torn South Sudan is a country the State Department advises against travel to due to “crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict.” The men had been convicted of violent crimes in the U.S. Administration officials said the men had was convicted ofviolent crimes inThe men had final orders of removal, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have said. Authorities have reached agreements with other countries to house immigrants if they cannot quickly send them back to their homelands and that the best person to send them home to is the person that the government has chosen for them to live with.
THAT ATTORNEY SAID IN THIS HEARING. MONICA. THIS WAS A BRIEF SCHEDULING HEARING, BUT THAT DOJ ATTORNEY DID MAKE A QUICK COMMENT ABOUT WHEN THESE DEPORTATIONS COULD GO INTO EFFECT. NOW, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE DOJ ATTORNEY CONFIRMED THAT IT’S HIS UNDERSTANDING THAT THE GOVERNMENT WON’T MAKE DEPORTATIONS OR REMOVALS UNDER THE BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP POLICY BEFORE JULY 27TH. THAT JULY 27TH DATE IS WHEN THE SUPREME COURT’S RULING ENDING NATIONWIDE INJUNCTIONS GOES INTO EFFECT. THIS HEARING COMES AFTER THE ACLU IN NEW HAMPSHIRE JOINED A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OVER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER. THE IMPLICATION HERE IS THAT THIS INCLUDES THE CHILDREN WHO ARE BORN HERE IN THE U.S. OF THESE UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE. ACCORDING TO CNN, THAT SAME ATTORNEY HAD A SIMILAR CONVERSATION WITH A JUDGE IN MARYLAND, WHERE A CLASS ACTION SUIT HAS ALSO BEEN FILED. THAT JUDGE WANTED TO KNOW IF THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO START DEPORTING BABIES WHO WERE BORN HERE AFTER FEBRUARY 19TH, 2025, AND ARE COVERED BY TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER. BUT AREN’T PLAINTIFFS IN THIS LITIGATION CHALLENGING THE ORDER? THEY REPORT THAT THE ATTORNEY DIDN’T HAVE AN ANSWER YET. NOW, RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE ARGUMENTS PLANNED FOR HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE FOR JULY 10TH. THE DOJ ATTORNEY ALSO SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO RELEASE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR PLANS TOMORROW. WE’RE LIV
Advertisement US deports 8 men to South Sudan after weeks of legal wrangling, mostly men not from there War-torn South Sudan is a country the State Department advises against travel to due to “crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict.” Editorial Standards ⓘ
Eight men deported from the United States in May and held under guard for weeks at an American military base in the African nation of Djibouti while their legal challenges played out in court have now reached the Trump administration’s intended destination, war-torn South Sudan, a country the State Department advises against travel to due to “crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict.”Related video above: DOJ attorney questioned about Trump birthright citizenship policyThe immigrants from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Vietnam and South Sudan arrived in South Sudan on Friday after a federal judge cleared the way for the Trump administration to relocate them in a case that had gone to the Supreme Court, which had permitted their removal from the U.S. Administration officials said the men had been convicted of violent crimes in the U.S.“This was a win for the rule of law, safety and security of the American people,” said Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin in a statement Saturday announcing the men’s arrival in South Sudan, a country in danger once more of collapsing into chaos and civil war.The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for the transfer of the men who had been put on a flight in May bound for South Sudan. That meant that the South Sudan transfer could be completed after the flight was detoured to a base in Djibouti, where the men were held in a converted shipping container. The flight was detoured after a federal judge found the administration had violated his order by failing to allow the men a chance to challenge the removal.The court’s conservative majority had ruled in June that immigration officials could quickly deport people to third countries. The majority halted an order that had allowed immigrants to challenge any removals to countries outside their homeland where they could be in danger.A flurry of court hearings on Independence Day resulted in a temporary hold on the deportations while a judge evaluated a last-ditch appeal by the men before the judge decided he was powerless to halt their removals and that the person best positioned to rule on the request was a Boston judge whose rulings led to the initial halt of the administration’s effort to begin deportations to South Sudan.By Friday evening, that judge had issued a brief ruling concluding the Supreme Court had tied his hands.The men had final orders of removal, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have said. Authorities have reached agreements with other countries to house immigrants if authorities cannot quickly send them back to their homelands.