Trump Officials Violated Court Order over South Sudan Deportation Attempt, Judge Says
A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that the US government violated his court order by attempting to deport migrants to South Sudan, opening another front in a battle between Donald Trump and judges who have imposed checks on the Republican president’s hardline immigration policies.
US District Judge Brian Murphy said US officials risked being held in contempt of court for violating a preliminary injunction he issued in April to block the administration from sending deportees to countries other than their own without the opportunity to raise any concerns they had for their safety.
At a hearing in Boston, the judge said the US Department of Homeland Security failed to provide six migrants covered by his injunction a meaningful opportunity to contest being sent to South Sudan when it notified them of that possibility less than 24 hours before they were loaded onto a plane.
That was “plainly insufficient” notice, according to the judge. He later issued an order making clear that non-citizens must be given at least 10 days to raise a claim that they fear for their safety before they are deported to a country other than their own.
“The department’s actions in this case are unquestionably violative of this court’s order,” Murphy said.
Murphy, who was appointed by Trump’s Democratic predecessor President Joe Biden, warned of the possibility of holding officials in criminal contempt, but did not immediately punish anyone.
