A federal appeals court ruled on Friday that the Trump administration's policy of deporting immigrants to third countries where they are not nationals is unlawful under the Administrative Procedure Act. The judges held that the Department of Homeland Security must provide effective notice and a meaningful opportunity to raise fears of persecution or torture before carrying out such a removal.
For context, the case began in March 2025, when several detained men challenged the DHS directive. It expanded after the department attempted to deport eight men to South Sudan, although none was a Sudanese national. Following a series of court orders, the men were detained at a US military base in Djibouti.
