US Judge Ruling Invalidates Trump Policy on Deportations to Third Countries

US Federal Judge Invalidates Policy of Deporting Migrants to Countries Other Than Their Own

A US federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration’s policy of rapidly deporting migrants to countries other than their own without giving them an opportunity to appeal violates due process. On Wednesday, US District Judge Brian Murphy declared the policy invalid, paving the way for a possible appeal from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to the Supreme Court.

According to Murphy’s decision, migrants cannot be sent to an unfamiliar country without legal recourse. The judge emphasized that due process is an essential component of the US Constitution and that no person can be deprived of life, liberty, or property without it.

The ruling stems from a class-action lawsuit brought by immigrants facing deportation to countries they have no relation to. Murphy’s decision notes that the swift nature of the deportation obscures the details of each case, preventing courts from weighing whether each deportation is legal.

In his ruling, Murphy addressed some of the Trump administration’s arguments in favor of swift deportation, including the claim that it would be “fine” to deport migrants to third-party countries as long as the Department of Homeland Security was not aware of anyone waiting to kill them upon arrival. Murphy rejected this argument, stating that it is not fine nor legal.

The ruling will not take effect for 15 days, allowing the administration to appeal. A lawyer for the plaintiffs hailed Murphy’s decision, saying it is a “forceful statement” about the policy’s constitutionality.

Source: Al Jazeera