The U.S. Supreme Court has once again ruled in favour of Donald Trump’s administration in a legal dispute over deporting migrants to third countries.
In a decision issued Thursday, the court lifted restrictions imposed by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, who had blocked the removal of eight men facing deportation to unstable South Sudan.
Murphy’s original April 18 injunction required that migrants being deported to unfamiliar third countries be allowed to explain potential risks of torture. The Supreme Court paused that order on June 23 and clarified this week that the ruling also covers Murphy’s follow-up order from May 21.
That order had stopped U.S. officials from sending migrants to South Sudan, citing safety concerns. The U.S. State Department currently advises against travel to South Sudan due to armed conflict and kidnapping.
Two liberal justices, Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented. Sotomayor called the court’s move a “gross abuse” that endangers “thousands” by removing procedural protections.
Murphy’s May 21 ruling had required that migrants receive at least 10 days’ notice before being removed and that officials consider claims of fear. The Justice Department called Murphy’s enforcement of the order a “lawless act of defiance.”
Government lawyers said the decision forced them to hold detainees—some deemed dangerous—at a military base in Djibouti, complicating diplomatic efforts and raising security risks.
The administration argues that third-country deportations are essential for removing criminal migrants whose home countries refuse repatriation. It claims to have secured assurances from South Sudan that deportees won’t be tortured.
Immigrant rights groups, however, insist the policy violates due process rights, prompting ongoing legal challenges.
The Supreme Court, dominated by a 6-3 conservative majority, has previously upheld controversial immigration policies while lawsuits against them proceed.
