Eight days after the U.S. deported eight migrants to war-torn South Sudan, their fate remains uncertain. The Trump administration labeled these individuals as "the worst of the worst" and claimed they are no longer responsible for their well-being. South Sudan's government has stated they are under the care of local authorities but provided no details on their status or whereabouts. The legal representatives of the deportees report that their families have had no contact since their arrival on July 4.
Following a recent Supreme Court ruling affirming the legality of these deportations, immigration experts predict a significant escalation in "third-country" deportations under new guidelines from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The guidelines indicate that deportations can occur swiftly if diplomatic assurances are in place to prevent torture or persecution of the deportees in their new country. If such guarantees are absent, the guidelines still permit rapid deportations without necessarily addressing the deportees' fears about their new location.
This major shift raises alarms among legal advocates, as many now fear widespread and potentially harmful deportations. Trina Realmuto, an attorney for the migrants, noted that the lack of information about their specific cases generates anxiety for the families left behind, marking an unsettling turn in U.S. immigration policy.
Following a recent Supreme Court ruling affirming the legality of these deportations, immigration experts predict a significant escalation in "third-country" deportations under new guidelines from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The guidelines indicate that deportations can occur swiftly if diplomatic assurances are in place to prevent torture or persecution of the deportees in their new country. If such guarantees are absent, the guidelines still permit rapid deportations without necessarily addressing the deportees' fears about their new location.
This major shift raises alarms among legal advocates, as many now fear widespread and potentially harmful deportations. Trina Realmuto, an attorney for the migrants, noted that the lack of information about their specific cases generates anxiety for the families left behind, marking an unsettling turn in U.S. immigration policy.
