U.S. Supreme court allows Trump to deport migrants to South Sudan and Libya despite safety concerns

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump administration can, for now, deport immigrants to third countries like Libya and South Sudan — even if they aren’t from those nations. The 6–3 decision, issued on June 23, allows the administration to bypass earlier court orders that had blocked such removals, citing risks to migrants’ safety.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in a sharp dissent joined by Justices Kagan and Jackson, criticized the decision, warning it could expose thousands to violence.

The administration recently attempted to deport eight men — only one from South Sudan — to that country, despite it being wracked by conflict, displacement, and human rights abuses. The group is currently held in Djibouti while awaiting their fate.

Critics say deporting people to unstable nations like Libya and South Sudan, where torture, arbitrary detention, and civil war are ongoing, violates both domestic and international legal protections. Despite that, the Trump administration has reportedly sought financial deals with these countries in exchange for accepting deportees.