A group of eight migrants are being held in the small African country of Djibouti after a judge said the Trump administration’s attempt to fly them to South Sudan “unquestionably” violated a court order, President Trump confirmed Thursday.
Mr. Trump lashed out at U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, who ordered the government to “maintain custody and control” of the migrants Tuesday. Attorneys say the migrants were put on a flight to violence-plagued South Sudan, allegedly violating an earlier order by Murphy requiring migrants to be given certain due process rights before they’re deported to a third country. The Trump administration says the eight men have serious criminal records.
“A Federal Judge in Boston, who knew absolutely nothing about the situation, or anything else, has ordered that EIGHT of the most violent criminals on Earth curtail their journey to South Sudan, and instead remain in Djibouti,” Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social post. “He would not allow these monsters to proceed to their final destination.”
Djibouti is a small country on the Horn of Africa on the continent’s east coast, located across the Gulf of Aden from the Arabian Peninsula. Mr. Trump didn’t specify where the deportees are being held, but the U.S. has a military base in the country.
Mr. Trump said “a large number of ICE Officers” were also left with the men.
Murphy has ordered the Trump administration to give six men “reasonable fear” interviews to screen them for any concerns about being harmed in a third country. If they do not satisfy the reasonable fear standard, the government must give them at least 15 days to challenge their removal. Murphy says the men can be held either in the U.S. or abroad, as long as the government maintains custody over them.
