Joe.My.God. LGBT News
The Washington Post reports:
A federal judge in Massachusetts said Wednesday the Trump administration’s deportation of several immigrants to conflict-ridden South Sudan violated his order to give detainees a meaningful opportunity to challenge their removal to a country where they are not citizens.
U.S. District Judge Brian E. Murphy said in a lengthy hearing that the removals Tuesday morning “obviously” violated his prior order. He said the government notified seven immigrants — from Mexico, Cuba, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam — the day before they were deported that they would be sent to the African nation.
“It was impossible for these people to have a meaningful opportunity to object to their transfer to South Sudan,” the judge said, adding that even 24-hours notice would be inadequate.
From the current State Department warning:
Do not travel to South Sudan due to crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict. Due to the risks in the country, on March 08, 2025, the Department of State ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government employees from South Sudan.
Armed conflict is ongoing and includes fighting between various political and ethnic groups. Weapons are readily available to the population. In addition, cattle raids occur throughout the country and often lead to violence.
Violent crime, such as carjackings, shootings, ambushes, assaults, robberies, and kidnappings are common throughout South Sudan, including Juba. Foreign nationals have been the victims of rape, sexual assault, armed robberies, and other violent crimes.
Reporting in South Sudan without the proper documentation from the South Sudanese Media Authority is considered illegal, and any journalistic work there is very dangerous. Journalists regularly report being harassed in South Sudan, and many have been killed while covering the conflict.
The cruelty is the point.
The Trump adm “unquestionably” violated a court order when it tried to transfer detainees to war-torn South Sudan without a meaningful opportunity to contest their removal to a place where they might face torture, a federal judge said Wednesday. https://t.co/lTjfdOt69D
— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) May 21, 2025