The Trump administration's recent deportations to South Sudan spotlight a potential shift toward widespread third-country removals, sparking fears among immigrant advocates.
Trump Administration's Controversial Third-Country Deportations Reignited
Trump Administration's Controversial Third-Country Deportations Reignited
The U.S. ramps up contentious deportations, raising human rights concerns.
Eight days after the U.S. deported eight men to the conflict-ridden South Sudan, uncertainty looms over their current situation. Dubbed “the worst of the worst” by the Trump administration, these migrants were removed after extensive legal battles, yet their exact whereabouts remain unknown. South Sudan's government confirmed their arrival but offered no insight into their future or conditions, leaving their families in distress as they remain out of contact since landing on July 4.
Legal experts suggest that this deportation act signifies a larger strategy, as the Supreme Court has endorsed the legality of such actions, paving the way for an increase in “third-country” deportations—an approach where individuals are sent to a nation that is neither their own nor their crime's location. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has since generated new internal policies to facilitate these deportations, provided assurances from receiving countries that deportees will not face torture or persecution.
These revised guidelines raise alarms due to their expedited process, potentially allowing deportations to occur within as little as six hours if no objections arise from migrants regarding their fears of returning to specific countries. Trina Realmuto, an attorney representing the deported men, emphasized that this lack of information about their well-being increases panic among families, putting them in an impossible situation.
As enforcement intensifies under the current governance, the implications for immigrant rights movements grow increasingly concerning, with uncertainty about the fate of those deported and potential future escalations in such actions.
Legal experts suggest that this deportation act signifies a larger strategy, as the Supreme Court has endorsed the legality of such actions, paving the way for an increase in “third-country” deportations—an approach where individuals are sent to a nation that is neither their own nor their crime's location. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has since generated new internal policies to facilitate these deportations, provided assurances from receiving countries that deportees will not face torture or persecution.
These revised guidelines raise alarms due to their expedited process, potentially allowing deportations to occur within as little as six hours if no objections arise from migrants regarding their fears of returning to specific countries. Trina Realmuto, an attorney representing the deported men, emphasized that this lack of information about their well-being increases panic among families, putting them in an impossible situation.
As enforcement intensifies under the current governance, the implications for immigrant rights movements grow increasingly concerning, with uncertainty about the fate of those deported and potential future escalations in such actions.
