The Supreme Court has authorized the Trump administration to deport eight immigrants currently held at a U.S. military base in Djibouti to South Sudan, issuing a brief unsigned opinion that reaffirms its earlier stay of a Massachusetts federal judge’s order. The decision effectively overrides lower-court restrictions that had barred deportations to countries not named in original removal orders, marking a significant step in the administration’s efforts to expand “third-country” deportations.
The ruling follows months of legal conflict stemming from U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy’s April 18 order requiring the government to ensure, through specific safeguards, that deportees would not face torture if removed to third countries. When officials attempted to send the eight immigrants to South Sudan despite this restriction, Murphy ruled on May 21 that the administration had acted unlawfully, citing State Department warnings about the country’s instability. The deportation flight was diverted to Djibouti, where the men have remained in U.S. custody.
Seeking to lift Murphy’s restrictions, the administration appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the judge’s requirements created “havoc” and interfered with sensitive national-security operations. Attorneys for the detainees countered that Murphy had not blocked deportations altogether—only required compliance with anti-torture protections.
Although the Supreme Court initially stayed Murphy’s order on June 23, uncertainty remained about its application to the eight men. The Court’s latest opinion clarifies that Murphy’s injunction is fully suspended, allowing removals to proceed while litigation continues.
The decision drew sharp ideological divides. Conservative justices upheld the stay, while Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, warning that the ruling enables potentially life-threatening deportations without sufficient review. The case highlights the continuing tension between executive authority in immigration enforcement and legal safeguards intended to prevent human rights abuses.
