Federal Judge Halts Trump Admin Policy Allowing Third-Country Deportations

A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Trump administration policy that allowed the deportation of migrants to third countries without prior legal proceedings to contest their removal.

The ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Brian E. Murphy in Massachusetts, has a nationwide impact and prevents U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from deporting individuals to nations not designated in their original immigration cases without first providing them written notice and an opportunity to seek protection under the Convention Against Torture.

The decision comes as part of the case D.V.D., et al. v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, et al., and marks a setback for the administration's immigration enforcement strategy. The temporary restraining order will remain in effect until an April 10 hearing, where the court will consider a longer-term injunction, as reported by The Miami Herald.

The ruling extends beyond the named plaintiffs, impacting thousands of migrants at risk of deportation to unfamiliar countries.

One of the plaintiffs in the case, a Guatemalan man identified as OCG, was granted protection from deportation to his home country but was instead removed to Mexico in February without notice, as ABC News reports. Mexican authorities informed him he could seek asylum there or continue to Guatemala. His attorneys say he is now in hiding in Guatemala.

Another plaintiff, a Cuban identified as DVD, has been on release in the U.S. since 2017 but was recently ordered to report to ICE, fearing imminent removal to a third country.

Judge Murphy's order underscores concerns over due process and international law violations. "An individual subject to a final order of removal must be given a meaningful opportunity to seek relief," he wrote. His decision requires the government to provide written notice to affected individuals and allow them to challenge their deportation destination before an immigration judge.

The Trump administration quickly appealed the ruling, arguing that it interferes with executive authority over immigration enforcement. The administration has increasingly relied on third-country deportations, primarily sending migrants to Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Panama, and El Salvador.

The ruling adds to ongoing legal challenges to the administration's immigration policies. In a separate case, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., has blocked the deportation of Venezuelan migrants accused of gang affiliation, citing concerns over the administration's use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. The Department of Justice has sought an emergency Supreme Court ruling to reinstate deportations under that statute.