A federal judge in Massachusetts has rejected the Trump administration’s request to withdraw an earlier order requiring six migrants, deported to South Sudan, to remain in U.S. custody. In a scathing 17-page ruling, Judge Brian Murphy criticized the administration for failing to comply with due process and for manufacturing chaos by deporting the migrants without adequate notice or interviews.
Murphy’s order emphasized that the Trump administration had not conducted the so-called ‘reasonable fear interviews’ to assess these migrants’ potential risks of persecution or harm upon release to South Sudan. He further accused the administration of mischaracterizing the court’s orders, which he claimed were not meant to convert a military base in Djibouti into an immigration facility. Instead, the court had left this as an option for the administration to pursue if they so desired.
The judge also addressed the Trump administration’s inconsistent stance on the adequacy of notice required for deportations, noting that the DOJ had previously argued that 24 hours sufficed but later proceeded with deportations without providing this notice. Additionally, he highlighted that these individuals lacked access to legal counsel, with at least one case involving canceled meetings with an attorney.
The ruling comes amid ongoing legal battles over the Trump administration’s third-country deportations, with U.S. judges repeatedly ruling that the administration has violated due process by not informing migrants of their imminent removal or giving them a chance to challenge their deportations in court. So far, the administration has not publicly complied with these court orders, further deepening the rift between the executive and judicial branches.
Trump himself has criticized the courts as ‘activist,’ accusing them of attempting to enact a political agenda. In response to these criticisms, Murphy emphasized the court’s commitment to due process and the rule of law, stating that even individuals with criminal histories are entitled to these protections. The judge closed his order by noting that the administration had not yet submitted their arguments to the court, calling into question their intent to comply with legal standards.
“}