The United States has deported eight individuals—convicted of serious crimes including murder, sexual assault, and robbery—to South Sudan, following a drawn-out legal battle and despite only one of them being a South Sudanese national.
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
Follow us on:
