A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that the Trump Administration violated his court order when it deported seven illegal aliens to South Sudan.
US District Judge Brian Murphy, a Biden appointee, said the Trump Administration violated his court order to provide the aliens with “meaningful” due process since they were being sent to “third-party” countries.
Some of the aliens are from Laos, Vietnam, and the Philippines, so sending them to South Sudan puts them in danger, attorneys argued.
Judge Murphy suggested Trump Admin officials may have committed contempt, but he stopped short of taking action.
Politico reported:
The Trump administration “unquestionably” violated a court order when it abruptly deported seven men to South Sudan, a federal judge ruled Wednesday, suggesting that administration officials may have committed criminal contempt.
U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy accused immigration officials of flagrantly defying his directives to provide “meaningful” due process to people they are trying to deport to countries where they have no ties and could face violence.
“It was impossible for these people to have a meaningful opportunity to object to their transfer to South Sudan,” said Murphy, a Boston-based Biden appointee.
The ruling comes after the Department of Homeland Security went off on Judge Murphy, a district judge who is trying to dictate foreign policy.
DHS spox Tricia McLaughlin went off on Judge Murphy.
WATCH:
DHS officials confirmed that eight individuals convicted of violent crimes were placed on a deportation flight headed to South Sudan. An order from a federal judge directed the government to “maintain custody and control” of anyone deported to South Sudan. https://t.co/0fDDgDgutp pic.twitter.com/bmiONMQNmW
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) May 21, 2025
ICE Director Todd Lyons said the deported criminal aliens are so dangerous that countries wouldn’t even take their citizens back.
Sudan was the only country that would take these dangerous aliens.
WATCH:
These individuals represent the true national security and public safety threats that @ICEgov officers and agents nationwide go after.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons highlights some of the criminal illegal aliens removed from the United States. pic.twitter.com/83oRyhT5QZ
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) May 21, 2025
