The Trump administration announced Thursday that it will petition the U.S. Supreme Court to permit the swift deportation of immigrants to nations other than their country of origin, following a federal appeals court ruling that temporarily halted the practice.
Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the administration intends to seek immediate relief from the highest court, which previously granted a stay in the same legal case. The move comes after a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled on Wednesday that a lower court had correctly blocked rapid removals to third countries when migrants lack a “meaningful opportunity” to contest the destination.
Blanche criticized the appeals court’s decision on X, arguing that the government was prevented from conducting all third-country removals without being given a chance to respond. He described the practice as an “entirely legal and invaluable tool” for curbing illegal immigration.
Legal representatives for individuals deported to third countries reported that several flights scheduled for Thursday were canceled following the appellate court’s decision. The First Circuit panel determined that immigrants were not receiving adequate prior notice before being sent to countries where they have no connections.
“An individual’s right to contest removal to a country based on a fear of persecution in that country means little if one does not receive prior notice of the intended removal destination and a meaningful opportunity to contest that destination,” Judge Seth Aframe wrote in the ruling.
The Department of Homeland Security’s general counsel defended the policy on X, characterizing third-party deportations as an “essential public safety tool.” The department noted that these removals are utilized when a migrant’s home country refuses to accept them, when they cannot remain in the U.S. but cannot be returned home, or when logistical barriers exist for repatriation.
According to Human Rights First, approximately 25,000 people have been deported to third countries under the current administration’s immigration enforcement efforts. While such removals are not new, advocates note they are typically rare. However, the Trump administration has significantly increased their use in recent months by establishing formal agreements with nearly three dozen countries.
The human impact of these policies was highlighted in previous interviews with ABC News, in which Latin American men deported to the Central African Republic expressed distress. The U.S. classifies the Central African Republic as an extreme-risk destination due to armed conflict, violent crime, and terrorism threats. One deportee, Aristides Fernandez Garcia, stated he was not informed of his destination until hours into the flight.
“I feel kidnapped,” Fernandez Garcia said. “They have violated all the rights that exist in life, because we are human beings.”
25,000 people already deported this way is huge. Where exactly are they being sent now?
Wait, does this mean the government can just ship people anywhere they want? That seems illegal on its face.
This feels like a dangerous precedent. Sending people to conflict zones without notice is alarming.