The White House is deporting individuals to countries other than their home countries, citing the unwillingness of their home countries to accept them due to criminal records. This practice, while not entirely new, has been expanded by the current administration, leading to legal challenges. A federal judge ruled that deportees to third countries must be given adequate time and notice to contest their removal, highlighting concerns about due process violations. The Supreme Court is currently reviewing an appeal of this ruling, leaving several deported men in limbo in Djibouti.
Read More
The Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration, halting a Biden-era program granting temporary legal status to over 500,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. This decision, opposed by Justices Jackson and Sotomayor, overturns a lower court ruling that prevented the immediate revocation of this status without individual assessments. The ruling allows the government to proceed with ending the program, potentially leaving hundreds of thousands of individuals undocumented and subject to deportation. This action is part of a broader legal battle between the Trump administration and lower courts regarding immigration policies.
Read More
A federal judge ruled that Secretary of State Marco Rubio likely violated the Constitution by ordering the deportation of Mahmoud Khalil, based on his pro-Palestinian activism. While the judge declined to immediately order Khalil’s release from immigration detention, citing a need for further evidence of irreparable harm, he acknowledged Rubio’s actions likely misused a federal statute. The judge also rejected Khalil’s First Amendment retaliation claim due to insufficient evidence, though this charge is being challenged separately. The case continues with ongoing efforts to secure Khalil’s release and overturn his deportation.
Read More
Nicolle Saroukos, a newlywed Australian visiting her U.S. Army husband in Honolulu, was unexpectedly detained and deported after U.S. border officials subjected her to aggressive questioning, a body cavity search, and overnight imprisonment at the Federal Detention Center. The officials cited concerns about her visa and the quantity of her belongings, despite her marriage to a U.S. serviceman. Saroukos was ultimately deported without contacting her husband or receiving adequate food or communication privileges. This incident highlights potential pitfalls for travelers and raises questions regarding CBP procedures.
Read More
The Trump administration deported a gay man, identified only as O.C.G., to Guatemala, a country where he had previously faced violent anti-LGBTQ+ attacks. This decision, made despite a US immigration judge granting him withholding of removal, resulted in O.C.G. being subjected to further violence, specifically rape, upon his return. The sheer cruelty of this action is striking; sending someone back to a place where they are known to be in danger, knowing full well the risks involved, is unconscionable.
The administration’s actions were made even more reprehensible by their blatant disregard for the truth. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) twice provided false information to the court regarding O.C.G.’s… Continue reading
The Trump administration revoked Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, barring the enrollment of future international students and requiring current ones to transfer or face deportation. The Department of Homeland Security cited Harvard’s alleged failure to address claims of anti-American activity and violence on campus, despite Harvard’s denial of these accusations and assertion that the action is unlawful. This decision followed earlier threats and the freezing of federal grants, impacting over 27% of Harvard’s student body. A federal injunction, however, may prevent the immediate deportation of currently enrolled international students.
Read More
Nikki Saroukos, a former NSW police officer, was detained, jailed overnight, and deported from the United States despite holding a valid tourist visa to visit her US Army lieutenant husband in Hawaii. During her visit, she was subjected to invasive searches, interrogations about her past police work, and a night in federal prison, experiencing what she describes as humiliating and criminal treatment. This ordeal, which involved the confiscation of her phone and a forced DNA swab, left her and her mother deeply traumatized and demanding answers. The couple are now considering relocation to Australia to escape further potential issues.
Read More
A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration violated a court order by deporting eight migrants to countries other than their own, including South Sudan, without giving them sufficient opportunity to claim fear of persecution or torture. The administration deported individuals with criminal convictions, despite a prior injunction preventing such deportations to third countries. The judge ordered that the deported individuals be given a reasonable fear interview and the same access to legal counsel they would have had in the U.S. The White House defended its actions, claiming compliance with court orders, while the judge highlighted the migrants’ insufficient notice before deportation and lack of access to legal representation. This ruling follows a similar injunction blocking deportations to Libya.
Read More
During a Senate hearing, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem incorrectly defined habeas corpus as the president’s right to deport individuals, rather than the right of detained persons to challenge their detention. This misunderstanding occurred as the Trump administration considers suspending habeas corpus for immigrants facing deportation. Senator Hassan’s question regarding the definition of habeas corpus prompted Noem’s inaccurate response. Noem’s answer highlights a significant gap in understanding of fundamental legal rights amidst discussions of mass deportations.
Read More
A Honduran mother of three U.S. citizen children faces a $1.82 million fine from ICE for remaining in the U.S. after a 2005 deportation order. The fine, calculated at $500 per day since the order, stems from the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952. Her attorney argues the fine is excessive and unfair, citing a lack of proper notification and her client’s eligibility for residency based on long-term residence and family ties. An appeal is planned, challenging both the fine and the denial of a motion to reopen her case.
Read More
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood