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A federal judge in Massachusetts has strongly criticized senior officials in the Trump administration for failing to follow court orders after a group of migrants was deported from the United States to South Sudan. This incident highlights ongoing tensions around deportations and due process protections under U.S. law.
In a forthright, 17-page order issued on Monday night, U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy denied the Trump administration’s request to amend or withdraw a prior ruling. That ruling mandated the continued custody of six migrants who were forcibly returned to South Sudan without due process or proper notice.
Judge Murphy ordered that these migrants remain in U.S. custody at a military base in Djibouti. Until they could undergo a “reasonable fear interview,” they should be given the opportunity to express any fears of persecution or torture if returned to custody in South Sudan.
As of Monday night, Murphy noted that these crucial interviews had yet to take place.
In his order, Murphy remarked on the complexities involved in conducting immigration proceedings outside U.S. soil. He stated that the Trump administration could choose to bring individuals back to the U.S. for their interviews, which would circumvent the logistical challenges they faced.
The judge further critiqued administration officials for their public attacks on the judiciary, asserting that they have mischaracterized the court’s orders while simultaneously contributing to the confusion they criticize.
This conflict unfolds amid Murphy’s role in overseeing a class-action lawsuit from migrants contesting deportations to third countries, including South Sudan, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and others. These deportations form part of a broader, controversial wave initiated by the Trump administration.
In weighing the deportations to third countries, Murphy insisted on balancing constitutional due process rights against the administration’s ongoing efforts to expedite removals.
The court had previously allowed the Trump administration to keep the six migrants in South Sudan under U.S. officials’ custody, contingent upon conducting the reasonable fear interviews to assess the legitimacy of their concerns.
Judge Murphy emphasized that the government was not required to transform their foreign military base into an immigration facility. It was merely an option available upon the administration’s request.
He further defended his earlier decisions as prudent and effective, indicating that he consistently aimed to balance the administration’s requests against the migrants’ rights to due process as protected by the U.S. Constitution.
Compounding the situation, Judge Murphy pointed out uncertainty regarding the Justice Department’s standards for providing adequate notice of deportations. At one point, attorneys had asserted that a mere 24 hours’ notice was sufficient but later contradicted this position with the recent deportations.
The affected migrants reportedly lacked access to legal counsel. In some cases, Murphy noted, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials canceled scheduled meetings between detainees and their attorneys.
Many of the deported individuals had no opportunity to familiarize themselves with South Sudan, a nation currently plagued by violence, kidnapping, and civil unrest. The U.S. government has warned its citizens against traveling there due to these significant risks.
This ruling marks another attempt by federal judges to hold the Trump administration accountable for its deportation strategies, which have included sending migrants to third countries such as El Salvador and South Sudan without appropriate legal processes.
Multiple U.S. judges have determined that the administration’s actions violate fundamental due process rights by failing to notify migrants of impending deportations and denying them the opportunity to contest their removals in court. This view has been echoed, albeit narrowly, by the Supreme Court four times since the beginning of the Trump presidency.
Despite these judicial admonitions, the Trump administration has yet to comply with court orders aimed at facilitating the return of the deported individuals.
In response to these legal challenges, White House officials have criticized what they call activist judges who are allegedly attempting to impose a political agenda. They have consistently rejected any notion that undocumented immigrants are entitled to due process rights.
In a scathing Truth Social post on Monday, Trump condemned what he labeled “USA hating judges.” He argued that these judges adhere to dangerous ideologies detrimental to the nation. He referred to Judge Murphy as yet another
