US immigration authorities can now deport migrants to third countries—not just their home nations—with as little as six hours’ notice, according to a memo from a senior Trump administration official.
What the memo says?
According to a memo dated Wednesday, July 9, from acting director Todd Lyons, as reported by Reuters, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement typically wait a minimum of 24 hours after notifying an individual before deporting them to a so-called “third country.”
However, ICE could remove them to a so-called “third country” with 6-hours notice “in exigent circumstances,” said the memo, as long as the person has been provided the chance to speak with an attorney.
The memo states that migrants could be sent to nations that have pledged not to persecute or torture them “without the need for further procedures.”
The new ICE policy suggests President Donald Trump’s administration could move quickly to send migrants to countries around the world.
The Washington Post first reported the new ICE memo.
The Supreme Court in June lifted a lower court’s order limiting such deportations without a screening for fear of persecution in the destination country.
Following the high court’s ruling and a subsequent order from the justices, the Trump administration sent eight migrants from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Sudan and Vietnam to South Sudan.
The administration last week pressed officials from five African nations – Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Gabon – to accept deportees from elsewhere, Reuters reported.
Third-country deportations have been done in the past, but the tool could be more frequently used as Trump tries to ramp up deportations to record levels.
During Trump’s 2017-2021 presidency, his administration deported small numbers of people from El Salvador and Honduras to Guatemala.
Former President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration struck a deal with Mexico to take thousands of migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, since it was difficult to deport migrants to those nations.
The new ICE memo was filed as evidence in a lawsuit over the wrongful deportation of Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador.
(With inputs from Reuters)
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