President Donald Trump confirmed that a group of eight migrant men are being held in Djibouti after a US District Judge blocked their deportation to South Sudan, citing a court order. The migrants were allegedly being flown to the violence-plagued country despite an earlier ruling requiring them to be given certain due process rights before deportation.
Trump criticized the judge, Brian Murphy, saying he was “absolutely out of control” and knew nothing about the situation. However, two US officials confirmed that the migrants are being held at a US military base in Djibouti, along with a large number of ICE officers.
Judge Murphy had ordered the Trump administration to conduct interviews with the migrants to assess their concerns about potential harm in a third country. The government must give them 15 days to challenge their removal if they do not satisfy this standard.
The Department of Homeland Security identified the eight men as nationals from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, South Sudan, Myanmar, and Vietnam, all with serious criminal convictions. Trump described them as “the Worst of the Worst.”
This is part of a broader push by the administration to ramp up deportations, which has drawn criticism from judges and attorneys who argue that swift removals deprive migrants of due process. In recent court districts, judges have restricted the use of the Alien Enemies Act for rapid deportations of Venezuelan migrants.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-migrants-djibouti-after-judge-blocks-deportation-to-south-sudan