The US Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump administration may proceed with the deportation of a group of South Sudanese migrants who have been held for weeks at a military base in Djibouti.
In an unsigned order issued Thursday, the Court clarified that its earlier June 23 decision—permitting deportations to third countries with minimal notice—also applies to this specific group. The ruling effectively allows the US government to deport the South Sudanese migrants despite ongoing legal challenges.
The migrants, who have been detained on the base under undisclosed circumstances, had sought protection from deportation amid fears of violence and instability in South Sudan. Their legal team argued that the sudden deportations violate due process and international asylum norms.
Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from the decision, expressing concern over the implications for migrant rights and judicial oversight. The Court did not provide a detailed explanation, as the ruling came as part of its “shadow docket”—cases decided without full briefing or oral arguments.
This development follows a broader shift in US immigration policy under the Trump administration, which has sought to tighten enforcement and expedite removals, including the use of third-country agreements and offshore detention facilities.
Human rights organizations have criticized the move, warning that deporting individuals to South Sudan—a nation still grappling with conflict and humanitarian crises—could endanger lives and contravene international law.
The migrants’ identities and circumstances remain largely undisclosed due to the classified nature of their detention. Advocates say they are considering emergency appeals or seeking international legal remedies to halt the removals.
