A group of migrants originally scheduled for South Sudan, along with nearly a dozen ICE officers, are now in Djibouti. Court documents filed by U.S. District Judge Brian E. Murphy in Boston state that the migrants are housed in a converted shipping container on a U.S. naval base. They are facing high temperatures and possible threats from rocket attacks, according to MassLive.
Judge Murphy’s initial decision to delay the deportation allowed migrants from countries including Cuba and Vietnam to raise concerns about their safety in South Sudan. Migrants and ICE officers are currently facing high temperatures and health risks from nearby burn pits. “It is unknown how long the medical supply will last,” said ICE official Mellissa B. Harper in official documents describing the situation, as reported by MassLive.
The situation at Camp Lemonnier has drawn criticism from both sides of the deportation process. DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said the judge’s decision puts law enforcement personnel at risk in one of the hottest inhabited places. Lawyers for the detainees argue that the government is responsible and that the issue could have been avoided with a return flight to the U.S., which Judge Murphy suggested. Detainee lawyer Trina Realmuto said, "This is a situation that the government created by violating the order and easily can remedy with a single return flight," as stated by The Washington Post. Although the base has air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and medical facilities, the affected migrants are held in a shipping container with limited access to basic needs. Some detainees are in leg irons and lack adequate medical care. ICE officers guarding them have reported illness and breathing difficulties due to polluted air, along with the added challenge of supervising detainees labeled as serious offenders.
The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to review Judge Murphy’s order. They argue that immigrants who are refused by their home countries, especially those considered serious offenders, should not be deported to third countries. The safety of both the migrants and ICE officers depends on the outcome of ongoing legal actions related to immigration policies.
