Federal Judge Challenges Trump Administration's Deportation of African Immigrants to Ghana

A federal judge criticized the Trump administration for potentially circumventing court orders by deporting five African immigrants to Ghana, where they could be relocated to countries where they might face torture or death. The judge ordered the government to explain its efforts to ensure Ghana complies with U.S. court orders and does not deport these immigrants to other countries. One plaintiff was already transferred from Ghana to Gambia, despite a U.S. court ruling prohibiting such action. The judge expressed concern that the administration might be exposing the immigrants to risks such as torture and ordered the administration to provide, by 9 p.m. ET, a detailed declaration on how it is ensuring the proper treatment of these immigrants.

The Trump administration has requested the U.S. Supreme Court to lift restrictions on deporting convicted criminals to third-party countries that are not their nations of origin. This move aims to block a federal judge's injunction, which mandates that affected immigrants nationwide must be given a "meaningful opportunity" to raise concerns about potential risks of torture, persecution, or death in their deportation destinations. The judge later clarified that immigrants should have at least ten days to present their claims. The case centers on the legal process immigrants must receive before deportation, as all individuals involved are already subject to deportation orders. Recently, the administration violated the judge's order by deporting eight migrants to South Sudan, who are now detained in a U.S. facility in Djibouti. The deportees, represented as a class, urged the Supreme Court to uphold the injunction, describing it as "a basic measure of fairness." The case highlights ongoing tensions between immigration enforcement policies and due process rights for deportees.