Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Resume 25,000 Third-Country Deportations
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 24
Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Resume 25,000 Third-Country Deportations
2 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Sep 24
Summary
The administration asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to immediately restore third-country deportation flights after a federal appeals court let a lower-court block take effect.
The 1st Circuit said migrants were denied sufficient notice and a chance to argue they could face torture or persecution in countries where they are not citizens.
DHS has sent more than 25,000 migrants to third countries in Latin America and Africa since Trump adopted the policy last year, and the filing said the latest halt has already canceled flights and complicated removals.
The administration says the policy is needed to remove violent criminals whose home countries will not take them back, while immigrant advocates argue deportees can face inhumane and life-threatening conditions.
The dispute returns to the justices after a divided Supreme Court in June 2025 let the policy continue temporarily while the broader legal fight played out.
What happens to the thousands of individuals caught in legal limbo while the highest court debates the boundaries of procedural fairness?
How can the government guarantee migrant safety when relying on secretive agreements and mere paper promises from foreign nations?
The 2026 Third-Country Deportation Crisis: Inside the U.S. Supreme Court Showdown Over Mass Removals and the Global Fallout for Asylum
Overview
In 2025, the Trump administration launched a sweeping 'third-country' deportation policy, empowering DHS to remove migrants without prior notice or a chance to contest their transfer. Backed by aggressive diplomacy and a $410 million budget, the U.S. secured agreements with over 30 nations to accept deportees. This approach faced a major setback on September 18, 2026, when the First Circuit Court ruled the policy unlawful. Despite ICE's attempts to continue deportations, the court's mandate grounded the flights and halted the program. The administration condemned the ruling and prepared an emergency Supreme Court appeal, setting the stage for a high-stakes legal showdown.