Trump Administration Seeks Supreme Court Order to Resume Deportations

The Trump administration filed an emergency application with the Supreme Court of the United States on Thursday seeking an immediate administrative stay to resume the deportation of migrants to third-party countries. The request follows a Wednesday ruling by the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which dissolved a previous stay and required that migrants be given a "meaningful opportunity" to contest removals if they fear persecution or torture.

Government officials immediately halted deportation flights to nations including Costa Rica, Honduras, and the Central African Republic. The administration cited operational chaos resulting from the ruling, including the cancellation of a flight from Louisiana carrying approximately 70 people. Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that the block prevents the removal of dangerous criminals and creates substantial logistical problems.

Since implementing the policy in March 2025, the Department of Homeland Security has deported over 25,000 people to 29 countries, including South Sudan and Equatorial Guinea, relying on diplomatic assurances to bypass individual fear screenings. Attorney General Todd Blanche described the policy as an "invaluable tool to stem the tide of illegal immigration."

Opponents, including the National Immigration Litigation Alliance, argue the policy violates the Convention Against Torture by sending individuals to countries with life-threatening conditions. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has ordered immigrant rights groups to respond to the government's emergency application by Monday afternoon.