U.S. Deports Eight Migrants to South Sudan Following Supreme Court Ruling

 Washington / Djibouti / Juba – July 6 — The Trump administration has deported eight migrants to South Sudan after more than a month of detention at a U.S. military base in Djibouti, U.S. officials confirmed on Saturday. The move follows a contentious legal battle that reached the Supreme Court, which ultimately cleared the way for the transfers.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that the deportations were executed on Friday, July 4, coinciding with the U.S. Independence Day holiday. In a statement, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin framed the action as a victory for border enforcement and national security.
“This was a win for the rule of law, safety, and security of the American people,” McLaughlin said.

According to local officials, the deportees arrived in Juba, South Sudan, early Saturday. An airport staff member, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, confirmed the aircraft’s arrival at 6:00 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) and cited documentation verifying the flight carried U.S. deportees. An immigration official in Juba also confirmed the arrival but declined to provide further details, referring inquiries to South Sudan’s National Security Service.

Legal Battle Over High-Stakes Deportations

The eight men—reportedly nationals of Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Sudan, and Vietnam—had contested their deportation on constitutional grounds, arguing that forcible removal to the politically unstable South Sudan would constitute cruel and unusual punishment, in violation of the Eighth Amendment.

The case attracted national attention as a test of the Trump administration’s controversial efforts to deport migrants to so-called “third countries” with documented human rights concerns. South Sudan, which continues to face sporadic armed conflict and a fragile post-civil war political transition, is considered extremely unsafe by the U.S. State Department, which advises Americans not to travel there.

A federal judge in Boston initially halted the deportations in May, citing due process concerns. However, after a protracted legal struggle, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday lifted the judicial stay, siding with the administration and enabling the removals to proceed.

Despite the July 4 holiday, lawyers for the migrants filed emergency motions with two federal courts. But U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy ruled late Friday that the high court’s decision was binding and left him no legal basis to prevent the deportations.

Opaque Conditions Post-Arrival

Following their arrival in South Sudan, the precise whereabouts and status of the eight men remain unclear. Government officials in Juba have not disclosed whether the deportees were transferred to detention or allowed entry, and the National Security Service has declined comment.

The deportations have reignited concerns among human rights advocates, who argue the U.S. is outsourcing the risks of asylum decisions to unstable regions where migrants could face persecution or violence.

The United Nations and multiple humanitarian organizations have warned that South Sudan, despite its 2018 peace accord, remains volatile. Recent assessments have highlighted risks of renewed conflict, food insecurity, and severe human rights abuses across the country.

This latest deportation comes amid intensifying scrutiny of U.S. immigration policy under President Trump, whose administration continues to prioritize expedited removals, even in cases involving countries with questionable safety records.