U.S. government asks Supreme Court to resume third-country deportations

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has filed an emergency request with the Supreme Court to resume the expedited deportation of immigrants to third countries. This legal action follows a ruling by the First Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld a lower court decision requiring that migrants be given a meaningful opportunity to argue that deportation to a third country could expose them to persecution or torture.

The Trump administration argues that the current legal requirements for these deportations cause significant delays and could force the renegotiation of international agreements. Solicitor General D. John Sauer stated that the government has successfully removed thousands of individuals to third countries in recent months and seeks to maintain this capability.

While the ruling does not ban all third-country deportations, it mandates that individuals receive effective notice of their destination and a chance to contest the move. This has implications for existing bilateral agreements, such as the one with the Dominican Republic, which serves as a temporary transit mechanism for certain individuals.