Supreme Court allows Trump Administration to deport migrants held in Djibouti to South Sudan
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for the Trump administration to deport a group of migrants held at a U.S. military facility in Djibouti to South Sudan, reversing a lower court’s order that had temporarily blocked their removal.
The unsigned decision, backed by the Court’s conservative majority, follows a broader June 23 ruling that allowed the administration to carry out deportations to third countries with limited judicial oversight. Although that ruling prompted legal challenges, the Supreme Court said Thursday that it applies fully to the group in Djibouti as well, News.Az reports, citing CNN.
The migrants, including individuals from Cuba, Vietnam, and Laos, had been diverted to Djibouti while en route to South Sudan. They were being held in a converted shipping container on the base, according to court filings.
A federal judge in Massachusetts had previously ruled that their deportation could not proceed under the June 23 decision, arguing their case fell under a separate ruling that remained unchallenged. That order was temporarily upheld until the Supreme Court’s latest intervention.
“The lower court’s order cannot now be used to enforce an injunction that this court has stayed,” the majority wrote. “Such a remedy would serve to coerce the government into compliance and would be unenforceable.”
Justice Elena Kagan, who had previously dissented from the June 23 ruling, concurred with Thursday’s decision. In a brief opinion, she acknowledged her earlier opposition but noted that the district court could not override the Supreme Court’s stay.
“A majority of this court saw things differently, and I do not see how a district court can compel compliance with an order that this court has stayed,” Kagan wrote.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed the migrants would arrive in South Sudan by Friday. “A win for the rule of law, safety and security of the American people,” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said, praising immigration enforcement officials.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi also welcomed the ruling, calling it a setback for what she referred to as “rogue” district judges. In a post on X, she credited the Department of Justice for defending presidential authority and vowed that President Donald Trump would continue efforts to remove undocumented migrants with criminal records.
The case marks the latest in a series of high-profile immigration battles as the Trump administration intensifies enforcement efforts during his second term. Critics warn the expanded authority could undercut judicial oversight and result in deportations without due process, while supporters argue the measures are necessary to secure the country’s borders and uphold immigration laws.
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