Supreme Court Backs Trump on Controversial Deportation Policy—Swift Removals Can Resume

The U.S. Supreme Court gave the green light Monday for the Trump administration to restart a controversial deportation policy—allowing swift removal of migrants to third countries, even if those countries aren’t their homeland.

In a short, unsigned order, the conservative-majority court lifted a lower court ruling that had temporarily blocked the practice. The justices offered no detailed explanation, but liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson issued a scathing 19-page dissent, warning that the decision could put lives at risk.

“Thousands are now exposed to the risk of torture or death,” Justice Sotomayor wrote. “The government has made clear… it feels itself unconstrained by law.”

“Fire Up the Deportation Planes”

The Biden-appointed lower court judge, U.S. District Judge Brian E. Murphy, had previously halted deportations to third countries—like South Sudan—without giving migrants a chance to argue their case in court. Monday’s decision pauses that order, at least for now.

The Department of Homeland Security wasted no time reacting.

“Fire up the deportation planes,” said DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin, calling the Supreme Court’s ruling “a victory for the safety and security of the American people.”

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson echoed that sentiment, saying the decision reaffirms President Trump’s authority to remove criminal noncitizens and “Make America Safe Again.”

What This Means for Migrants

This ruling allows the Trump administration to resume deporting migrants—some of whom have exhausted legal appeals—not only to their countries of origin but to other nations, even those they’ve never set foot in. The practice had been challenged in court over concerns that it could expose people to grave danger.

In one high-profile case, a flight carrying migrants from Myanmar, Cuba, and Vietnam was diverted to a U.S. naval base in Djibouti, after a federal judge blocked its original destination: South Sudan, a country plagued by conflict and instability. The migrants, many convicted of serious crimes, were reportedly held in makeshift conditions inside converted shipping containers.

“They face possible imprisonment, torture, or even death,” said Trina Realmuto, executive director of the National Immigration Litigation Alliance, who represents some of the migrants.

Judge Murphy had ruled earlier this year that migrants must be given a meaningful chance to explain why a third-country deportation could place them in danger—even if they’ve already lost other appeals.

Spotlight on South Sudan

South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, has experienced relentless violence since its independence in 2011. Human rights advocates argue it’s not a safe destination, especially for people being sent there without adequate warning or legal recourse.

According to Justice Sotomayor’s dissent, some of the migrants bound for South Sudan in May had less than 16 hours’ notice before removal.

The administration has also signed agreements with countries like Panama and Costa Rica to receive deported migrants when their home countries refuse to take them back.

Legal Back-and-Forth Continues

While Monday’s decision allows third-country deportations to move forward, it doesn’t settle the matter permanently. The Justice Department said it’s still weighing next steps, and more legal battles are likely to follow.

The Supreme Court has taken up similar cases in recent years. In one instance, the justices temporarily blocked the deportation of Venezuelan migrants accused of gang ties after concerns arose that they were being sent to a notorious prison in El Salvador with little chance to challenge the removal.

In that ruling, the court said migrants must be given a “reasonable time” to appeal. But in this most recent case, the justices declined to extend similar protections.

A Pattern of Emergency Wins for Trump

The decision adds to a growing list of Supreme Court victories for the Trump administration in high-stakes, fast-moving cases. These include:

• A ban on transgender troops in the military
• Legal clearance to dramatically shrink the federal government
• Ending temporary protections for nearly 1 million immigrants

And now, the reinstatement of swift deportations—even to nations the migrants have never called home.