A federal judge in Massachusetts has rebuked the Department of Homeland Security for deporting convicted foreign criminals to South Sudan, sparking a fierce response from the Trump administration and highlighting deep divisions over immigration enforcement.
District Court Judge Brian Murphy declared Wednesday that DHS violated court orders requiring greater due process for migrants, specifically in deciding their deportation destinations. The ruling came after at least eight illegal migrants, including convicted murderers, were sent to the war-torn African nation.
“The department’s actions … are unquestionably violative of this court’s order,” Murphy said, insisting that the government maintain “custody and control” of deportees to ensure they could be returned if the court deems their removal unlawful. He warned against abandoning due process simply because the individuals are unpopular.
The case involves migrants such as Tuan Thanh Phan, a Vietnamese national convicted of first-degree murder and assault, who was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Vietnam has refused to accept his return, prompting DHS to deport him to South Sudan instead.
Pro-migration groups denounced the deportations as inhumane. But the White House struck back, accusing Murphy of overstepping judicial bounds. “It’s another attempt by a far-left activist judge to dictate the foreign policy of the United States — and protect the violent criminal illegal immigrants President Donald J. Trump and his administration have removed from our streets,” a White House official stated.
Vice President JD Vance defended the administration’s approach, emphasizing that due process is being upheld while criticizing activist legal interpretations that complicate enforcement. “We have an obligation to treat people humanely,” Vance said, “but a lot of these illegal immigrants have to go back.”
The ruling underscores the broader battle between Trump’s immigration crackdown and a judiciary emboldened by years of activist litigation.
