Supreme Court Says Trump Administration Can Deport Migrants To 3rd Country

The Supreme Court has allowed the continuation of President Donald Trump's policy of deporting individuals to third countries. On Monday (June 23), the court stayed a lower court's order that required individuals facing deportation to third countries to have the opportunity to challenge their deportation orders. This decision affects a group of men from various countries, including Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cuba, and Mexico, who were initially set to be deported to South Sudan but ended up in Djibouti to dispute their final destination.

The U.S. government argues that these men are violent criminals and should not remain in the United States. However, Judge Brian Murphy of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts had previously ruled that these individuals must receive a "credible fear" interview in their native language and have at least 15 days to challenge their deportations. The Supreme Court's order puts Murphy's ruling on hold while the case continues in the lower courts.

The court's three liberal justices, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented, emphasizing the risks of deporting individuals to countries where they might face torture or unsafe conditions. Justice Sotomayor wrote, "In matters of life and death, it is best to proceed with caution," criticizing the government's approach as hasty.

The U.S. Solicitor General, John Sauer, argued that the lower court's order was disrupting the third-country removal process. He stated that through "sensitive diplomacy," the U.S. had arranged for third countries to accept these individuals after their home countries refused. However, immigration lawyers argue that even criminals deserve a fair chance to contest their deportations, especially when facing potentially dangerous conditions.