U.S. judge orders return of Honduran man deported to Africa

A federal judge in Colorado has ordered the United States government to return Brayan Omar Sánchez Servellón, a Honduran national, to the U.S. after he was previously deported to the Central African Republic.

Sánchez Servellón had been in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since May before being transferred to Africa in July. While a 2020 immigration judge had issued a deportation order to Honduras, Sánchez Servellón was simultaneously granted protection under the Convention Against Torture, which prohibited his return to Honduras.

Judge Regina M. Rodriguez ruled that Sánchez Servellón must be brought back to Colorado and released under his own responsibility without restrictive monitoring, such as GPS or mandatory reporting. The court has set a deadline of September 25 to coordinate his return. The Fundación 15 de Septiembre has criticized the deportation, alleging that authorities ignored judicial processes and a habeas corpus petition filed during his detention.