Supreme Court Allows Trump Administration to Deport Immigrants Held in Djibouti to South Sudan

The Supreme Court has cleared the way for the Trump administration to deport eight immigrants being held at a U.S. military base in Djibouti to South Sudan. In a brief opinion issued Friday, the justices affirmed that their prior order — which stayed a lower court’s ruling limiting deportations to countries not named in removal orders — applies fully to the group currently in custody.

The decision follows weeks of legal back-and-forth between the administration and U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy of Massachusetts, who had blocked so-called “third-country” deportations without proof the individuals would not face torture. Murphy ruled on May 21 that the government violated his earlier injunction by attempting to deport the men to South Sudan, a nation the U.S. government itself deems unsafe due to armed conflict, crime, and kidnapping. The men’s flight was diverted to Djibouti, where they have remained detained since.

Arguing before the Court, Solicitor General D. John Sauer said Murphy’s orders were “wreaking havoc” on immigration enforcement and disrupting sensitive foreign policy efforts. In a 7–2 unsigned opinion, the conservative majority agreed, writing that Murphy’s May 21 order “cannot now be used to enforce an injunction that our stay rendered unenforceable.” Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, warning that the decision allows the government to send the immigrants “to face torture or death.” Justice Elena Kagan joined the majority, noting that while she disagreed with earlier rulings, the Court’s stay must be respected. The eight immigrants reportedly come from Cuba, Vietnam, and Laos, and their deportation to South Sudan could occur within days — marking a major victory for the Trump administration and a sharp setback for immigrant-rights advocates.