The US government’s plan to send eight men to South Sudan for deportation has been temporarily halted due to a federal court ruling. The men, who are alleged to have committed criminal offenses, were set to be flown to their home countries, but authorities now face an uncertain future.
Two of the men are from Myanmar and two from Cuba, while the remaining four are from Vietnam, Laos, Mexico, and South Sudan. Despite the US government’s claims that they had provided adequate notice, attorneys for some of the individuals claim they were informed only hours before their scheduled flight.
A federal court ruling in Boston has criticized the administration’s handling of the situation, stating that the men have a right to challenge their deportation through legal means. The judge, Brian Murphy, also expressed concerns over the short window allowed for the men to object, labeling it as “clearly inadequate”.
As a result, the group is currently being held by the Department of Homeland Security in Djibouti, where they will remain for two weeks. The White House has confirmed that the removals were halted, and President Donald Trump has responded to the ruling on his social media platform, expressing dissatisfaction with the order.
The court’s ruling aligns with international human rights standards, which require adequate notice and a minimum of 15 days for deportation. Six of the individuals have been specifically identified as having the right to assert their fears of torture or mistreatment in their destination country with legal representation.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/23/trump-south-sudan-deportations-halted-judge