US 'illegally deported' Vietnamese, Burmese migrants to South Sudan
What's the story
Immigrant rights advocates have accused the Trump administration of violating a court order by deporting around a dozen migrants, including those from Myanmar and Vietnam, to South Sudan.
The allegation was made in a motion filed with United States District Judge Brian Murphy.
The judge had previously prohibited the rapid deportation of migrants to countries other than their own without addressing concerns about potential torture or persecution.
Legal proceedings
Judge considers potential criminal contempt in deportation case
During an emergency virtual hearing, Judge Murphy informed a Department of Justice attorney that the alleged violation could amount to criminal contempt.
He said he was considering ordering the aircraft carrying the migrants to South Sudan to return.
The deported migrants included a Myanmar national, referred to as NM in court documents, who was notified of his deportation via email from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Deportation details
Court documents reveal details of deported migrants
Court documents indicate that NM, who has "limited English proficiency," refused to sign a notice of removal presented only in English.
His lawyers learned he was flown to South Sudan on Tuesday morning.
Separately, the spouse of a Vietnamese detainee at Port Isabel Detention Center in Texas emailed his lawyer, confirming that he and 10 others were also deported.
Legal action
Lawyers seek emergency court order to prevent further deportations
The migrants' lawyers have requested an emergency court order to stop any further deportations without judicial review.
They cited a recent Supreme Court case involving Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was wrongly deported to El Salvador.
The Trump administration had accused him of being a member of the Salvadoran MS-13 gang and deported him to his native country, despite a 2019 judge's order prohibiting him from being sent there.
Country conditions
South Sudan's political landscape and US travel advisory
South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, has been plagued by civil war and poverty.
The United Nations has warned that the country's worsening political crisis could lead to a return of the brutal civil war that ended in 2018.
The US State Department advises against travel to South Sudan "due to crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict."