Judge Questions Migrant Deportation Plan Amid Legal Challenges

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Attorneys representing a group of migrants deported from the U.S. and currently held in Ghana raised urgent concerns during an emergency court hearing on Saturday. They fear their clients could soon be sent back to their home countries, despite protections that should prevent such actions due to fears of persecution.

According to a lawsuit filed on Friday, at least one plaintiff has already been sent back to Gambia, where he is reportedly in hiding due to threats related to his sexual orientation. During the hearing, lawyers warned a federal judge that representatives from the migrants’ home countries have visited them, and some could be deported from Ghana as early as Monday.

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan questioned the Trump administration’s approach, emphasizing the need for clarity on how the government intends to ensure that Ghana does not violate U.S. court orders barring the deportation of these individuals. The judge expressed skepticism about the government’s claims that it has no authority over Ghana’s actions. She stated, “It seems like an end-run around the United States’ obligations. You send them to Ghana and say that Ghana won’t send them home, but it seems that they are positioned to do just that with your awareness.”

The government’s attorney acknowledged that Ghana appears to be disregarding assurances provided to the U.S. However, he reiterated that the United States lacks the power to instruct Ghana on handling these migrants. The judge criticized this stance, asking, “What is the government planning to do next?”

The attorney for the migrants pointed to a related case in a Massachusetts District Court involving deportations to third countries, arguing that the court could intervene to protect the migrants by insisting on their return to the U.S.

The urgency of the situation was underscored by the fact that the migrants could be moved imminently. Chutkan ordered the government to file a detailed report by 9 p.m. Eastern Time outlining steps taken to prevent further deportations of these individuals from Ghana to their home countries.