The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Trump administration’s policy allowing migrants to be deported to countries where they have no connections, even if they face potential danger there. The 6-3 decision overturns a previous ruling that required migrants to be given a chance to argue against deportation to these “third countries.”
Liberal justices strongly dissented, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor calling the ruling a “gross abuse” of power. She argued that the court disregarded the risks migrants could face, including torture or persecution, in countries where they have no ties.
The case involved eight migrants from Cuba, Mexico, Laos, South Sudan, Myanmar, and Vietnam—labeled by Trump as “the worst of the worst” due to alleged criminal histories. In May, they were all deported to South Sudan, despite only one being from there.
Immigrant rights groups condemned the decision as “horrifying,” while the Department of Homeland Security celebrated it as a win for national security. A DHS spokesperson declared, “Fire up the deportation planes,” signaling a ramp-up in removals.
This ruling aligns with Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown, which has included workplace raids and increased ICE arrests. The administration recently raised its deportation target to at least 3,000 arrests per day.
Critics warn the policy could strand vulnerable migrants in unstable or hostile nations without legal recourse. Supporters argue it strengthens border enforcement and deters illegal immigration.
The decision marks a major shift in U.S. deportation practices, removing legal safeguards for migrants and expanding the government’s power to send them to unfamiliar and potentially dangerous destinations.