The US has sent back eight men to South Sudan following a tough legal dispute that led to a temporary diversion to Djibouti. These individuals, who faced serious convictions including murder, sexual assault, and robbery, had either completed or were close to finishing their prison terms. Interestingly, only one of the eight is actually from South Sudan, while the others hail from Myanmar, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, and Mexico.
Authorities noted that many of these men could not be returned to their home nations because they had refused to accept them. The US has been exploring the idea of deporting individuals to third countries, having already sent some to locations like El Salvador and Costa Rica. There are discussions about Rwanda, Benin, and other nations becoming new destinations for deportees.
Images released showed the deportees restrained on the plane, raising concerns over their treatment. What happens to them upon arrival in South Sudan remains unclear, especially given ongoing turmoil and risks of violence in the country. The group was initially removed from the US in May, but their flight was halted as a judge ruled they needed to be informed about their deportation status. However, the Supreme Court later supported the Trump administration's deportation policies, allowing for the removals to continue.
Despite attempts by lawyers to pause the process, a judge ruled against those motions following the Supreme Court's decision, leading to the removals being executed. Officials from the Department of Homeland Security viewed this as a win against what they called "activist judges." This move follows Secretary of State Marco Rubio's earlier actions to revoke all visas for South Sudanese citizens, citing the nation’s reluctance to accept returnees in the past.
Authorities noted that many of these men could not be returned to their home nations because they had refused to accept them. The US has been exploring the idea of deporting individuals to third countries, having already sent some to locations like El Salvador and Costa Rica. There are discussions about Rwanda, Benin, and other nations becoming new destinations for deportees.
Images released showed the deportees restrained on the plane, raising concerns over their treatment. What happens to them upon arrival in South Sudan remains unclear, especially given ongoing turmoil and risks of violence in the country. The group was initially removed from the US in May, but their flight was halted as a judge ruled they needed to be informed about their deportation status. However, the Supreme Court later supported the Trump administration's deportation policies, allowing for the removals to continue.
Despite attempts by lawyers to pause the process, a judge ruled against those motions following the Supreme Court's decision, leading to the removals being executed. Officials from the Department of Homeland Security viewed this as a win against what they called "activist judges." This move follows Secretary of State Marco Rubio's earlier actions to revoke all visas for South Sudanese citizens, citing the nation’s reluctance to accept returnees in the past.
