Supreme Court Backs Trump Administration on South Sudan Migrant Deportation
The Supreme Court has sided with the Trump administration in a dispute over the deportation of eight migrants to South Sudan. This decision overturns a lower court judge’s order that would have required the U.S. to allow these migrants to contest their deportation to countries other than their own.
The case revolves around an attempt by the Trump administration to deport these migrants to South Sudan. A federal judge had previously ruled that the migrants should be given a chance to demonstrate the potential harm they would face if deported there. However, the Supreme Court has now intervened, effectively backing the administration's efforts to fast-track these deportations.
Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from the majority opinion. Justice Sotomayor wrote that the administration appears to have the Supreme Court “on speed dial,” implying preferential treatment.
The Legal Battle
The administration accused U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy of a “lawless act of defiance” for asserting that the Supreme Court's initial order didn't apply to his previous ruling. Judge Murphy had argued that the eight men were entitled to raise concerns about potential torture before being sent to South Sudan.
Lawyers representing the migrants argued that violations of court orders should still be addressed, even if the underlying issue has been resolved. They claimed that allowing the government to defy the district court’s orders would set a dangerous precedent. The administration, however, contended that once the Supreme Court blocked Judge Murphy's initial order, all subsequent decisions became void.
The Supreme Court’s decision clarifies that its previous order applies to the eight migrants being held at a military base in Djibouti. This ruling represents a significant victory for the Trump administration in its efforts to control immigration and enforce deportation orders.