Federal Judge Ignores Supreme Court Deportation Ruling Favoring Trump

A judge appointed by President Biden seemingly disregarded a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Monday by halting deportation orders for eight migrants scheduled for expedited removal, which has raised alarms regarding a possible deviation from established legal norms.

This ruling may contradict a Supreme Court decision made just hours prior, which permitted the Trump administration to move forward with the deportation of the eight individuals to third-party nations. Officials had previously voiced their dissatisfaction that certain migrants could not be returned to their countries of origin due to those governments’ refusal to accept them.

The Supreme Court’s decision annulled a previous injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, which had temporarily allowed migrants in custody to contest their deportation to third countries—such as Sudan—on the basis of imminent danger.

Nevertheless, Murphy seemed to circumvent that ruling by preventing the deportation of eight migrants currently detained at a U.S. naval base in Djibouti from being sent to South Sudan. In his ruling, the judge cites Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s dissenting opinion rather than the majority opinion of the Supreme Court.

Sotomayor expressed her view that Murphy’s “remedial orders are not properly before this Court because the Government has not appealed them, nor sought a stay pending a forthcoming appeal,” as reported by the Daily Caller.

“None of the eight individuals have final removal orders to South Sudan, and they are being denied fundamental procedural rights and access to protections mandated by Congress and the Constitution,” the attorneys representing the eight undocumented immigrants stated in a letter to Murphy on Monday. “Without injunctive relief, these individuals face an imminent threat of deportation to a dangerous country where they are likely to encounter indefinite detention and various forms of torture.

On Tuesday, attorneys representing the Trump administration characterized Murphy’s sudden decision as an “unprecedented defiance” of the Supreme Court. Solicitor General John Sauer informed the justices, “The ruling from the district court last night constitutes a lawless act of defiance that, once again, disrupts delicate diplomatic relations and halts the Executive’s lawful attempts to carry out third-country removals.”

Sauer further stated, “For more than two months, the Executive has been constrained by an injunction that this Court deemed unenforceable yesterday. This Court must promptly clarify that the enforcement order from the district court is ineffective and swiftly terminate the ongoing irreparable damage to the Executive Branch and its agents, who continue to face unfounded threats of contempt as they are compelled to accommodate dangerous criminal aliens at a military facility in the Horn of Africa, which is now situated on the brink of a regional conflict.”

During a segment on Fox News Monday evening, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller cautioned viewers to “anticipate fireworks” in Boston on Tuesday, where Murphy presides. He remarked, “Sean, in a bit of breaking news, the District Court Judge in Boston has indicated he will defy the Supreme Court’s ruling, so prepare for fireworks tomorrow as we hold this judge accountable for his refusal to comply with the Supreme Court.”