A federal judge has sharply criticized officials from the Trump administration for what he described as deliberate confusion and disregard for legal obligations in the treatment of migrants facing deportation, particularly those detained at a U.S. military facility in Djibouti.
In a strongly worded 17-page opinion, Judge Brian Murphy of the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts said the federal government appeared to be “manufacturing chaos” to avoid complying with judicial orders related to deportation procedures. The case revolves around a small group of detainees — fewer than 10 individuals — currently held in Djibouti, whom the U.S. government had attempted to deport to South Sudan without full due process.
The court had previously ruled that these individuals must be given a proper legal opportunity to raise claims of persecution or torture if returned to third countries, as required under both U.S. law and the United Nations Convention Against Torture.
Judge Murphy rejected a government request to delay or overturn that ruling. “It turns out that having immigration proceedings on another continent is harder and more logistically cumbersome than Defendants anticipated,” he wrote. “However, the Court never ordered the conversion of a military base into an immigration facility — that option was proposed by the government itself.”
Legal representatives for the detainees say their clients were placed on a flight to South Sudan within 17 hours of being notified — without meaningful access to legal counsel or the ability to present fear-based claims.
While acknowledging that some of the detainees had criminal records, Judge Murphy emphasized that constitutional due process protections still apply. “Criminal history does not negate fundamental legal rights,” he said, warning that continued violations may lead to contempt proceedings against officials involved in the removals.
The case is part of a broader legal challenge against the Trump administration’s deportation policy, particularly efforts to expel migrants to third countries where they are not nationals — often under emergency removal procedures with minimal judicial oversight.
President Trump, who remains active in immigration policy debates, has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in the case. His administration argues that removing certain individuals to third countries is necessary to manage national security and border enforcement priorities.
Meanwhile, critics argue that such practices create legal limbo for migrants and violate international obligations. “No one should be sent to a war-torn country without the opportunity to raise fears of persecution,” said one attorney representing the detainees.
Judge Murphy has temporarily barred the U.S. government from deporting any additional individuals in the affected group while the court continues to assess the legality of the removals.