A federal judge has ordered the U.S. government to retain custody of a group of migrants flown to South Sudan, citing what he described as a "strong indication" that the deportations violated a prior court order barring such removals without due process.
During an emergency virtual hearing on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy instructed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) not to release any individuals covered by his injunction after the plane landed. He did not require the flight to turn around but said that remained an option. "I'm not going to limit DHS on where they hold them," Murphy stated as quoted by Reuters. "If they want to turn the plane around, they can."
