A federal judge in Boston has warned that the Trump administration could be held in contempt of court after reports emerged that migrants were deported to South Sudan, potentially violating a prior court order. Judge Brian Murphy, appointed by President Joe Biden, issued a preliminary injunction on April 18 barring the federal government from deporting migrants to third countries—especially those where they may face danger—without first giving them a meaningful opportunity to challenge their removal in court.
On Tuesday, immigration attorneys from the National Immigration Litigation Alliance filed an emergency motion, alleging that a deportation flight carrying at least 12 migrants had already landed in South Sudan. They claim the group included citizens of Myanmar and Vietnam, raising alarm over possible violations of the court’s standing order. “I have a strong indication that my preliminary injunction order has been violated,” Judge Murphy said in court, adding, “This seems like it may be contempt.”
A Department of Justice attorney, Elianis Perez, confirmed that one Burmese national had been deported to Myanmar and acknowledged that another Vietnamese deportee, whose destination remains classified, had been convicted of murder. She did not confirm or deny whether any deportees had been sent to South Sudan. The Department of Homeland Security further stated that at least one convicted rapist was on the flight. Despite these claims, Judge Murphy reiterated that all deportees must be treated humanely and ordered that they remain in U.S. custody until a hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
He also suggested that, if necessary, deportation planes could be held on the tarmac upon landing to ensure compliance with court orders. This legal standoff marks the latest confrontation between President Trump’s hardline immigration agenda and the federal judiciary, as the administration accelerates mass deportation efforts ahead of the 2026 election cycle. Civil rights groups have voiced concerns about deportations to countries such as Libya and South Sudan, where migrants could face detention, torture, or death.
