A federal judge in the United States told President Donald Trump’s administration that alleged efforts to expel immigrants to South Sudan were “unsuspected violations” of his court’s injunction.
An announcement from US District Judge Brian Murphy on Wednesday sparked yet another judicial battle for the Trump administration.
Judge Murphy, based in Boston, Massachusetts, has yet to announce what he intends to do about the obvious violation. He left the question on another day.
However, he showed that people on flight Tuesday weren’t given enough time to challenge their deportation.
Murphy had determined that immigrants facing removal to their own country as well as third-party countries had the right to challenge deportation.
However, the Trump administration has repeatedly dismissed its claim that instead of blowing up judges like Murphy as “activists,” it refuses to comply with decisions that are unfavourable to its policy.
At a court hearing Wednesday, Trump’s Justice Department lawyer, Elainis Perez, said he refused to confirm where the deportation flights had landed and leaked information and raised “very serious operational and safety concerns.”
Separately, Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) addressed the issue and held a press conference defending deportation flights.
Acting Ice Director Todd Lyons said people on board were charged with murder, armed robbery, rape and sexually assault.
For one immigrant, the Lions said, “His country wouldn’t bring him back.” He called such a country a “rebuttal.”
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), also framed the removal as “diplomacy and military security activities.”
Standing in front of a photo representing the eight immigrants, she said she was deported alone for safety reasons and confirmed that she had actually left the US but remains in DHS custody.
“We can’t tell you what these individuals’ final destinations are,” she again cites security issues.
However, she addressed the possibility that their lawyers may be in South Sudan now, as indicated in the court application.
“Be careful to assume that their final destination is South Sudan,” she said. Later, it will be clear that the flight may create multiple stops. “We’re confirming the fact that it’s not their final destination.”
In a court application on Tuesday, immigration lawyers said their clients came from Myanmar, Vietnam and other countries. They also explained that the client speaks little English but no translators are provided to understand the deletion notice.
They are allegedly deported on less than 24 hours’ notice. On Tuesday morning, when a lawyer was trying to find a client, she said he was reportedly taken to South Sudan, a country with a record of disrupted history and human rights abuses.
Judge Murphy previously ordered immigrants to be given at least 15 days, attempting to remove them on the grounds that they could face danger in a country where they were deported.
In the wake of Tuesday’s flight, he also determined that the US government must detain immigrants and ensure safety while continuing hearings.
However, McLaughlin accused the “activist judge” of “trying to protect” immigrants.
“We are fully compliant with law and court orders, but it is absolutely ridiculous for district judges to try to direct US foreign policy and national security,” she said.
McLaughlin and other officials also argued that the Trump administration is exercising its right to find a “safe third country” to eliminate these individuals.
“Their crimes are so monstrous and wild bars that the nations on Earth didn’t want to accept them,” she said.
“Thanks to the courageous work of the State Department, ICE and the president’s national security team, we have found a country that is willing to accept custody of these vicious, illegal aliens.”
The Trump administration has been accused of blocking fear of crime among immigrant groups as part of justifying its “massive deportation” campaign.
Police in South Sudan told The Associated Press that no U.S. immigrants have arrived so far. The New York Times reports that the plane is believed to have landed in the country of Djibouti, East Africa.
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