United States deportee, a Mexican man, is returned to South Sudan by officials.
In a series of events that have raised international concern, the Trump administration has successfully deported eight individuals to South Sudan, following a lengthy legal battle. Among the deportees was J. Jesus Munoz Gutierrez, a Mexican man, who was initially diverted to Djibouti before being sent to South Sudan.
Munoz, who characterizes his deportation as wrongful, was released into the custody of the Mexican ambassador-designate to South Sudan, Alejandro Estivill. It is unclear if another Mexican man, who was also deported to South Sudan on Saturday, has returned to Mexico.
The other deportees, hailing from Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, and other countries, were held in a converted Conex shipping container on a military base in Djibouti. One South Sudanese citizen was freed earlier due to arguments that they would face dangerous physical conditions in South Sudan due to intercommunal violence.
Rwanda has agreed to take in up to 250 migrants deported from the US, while Uganda has publicly insisted it will only accept limited cases of deportees. Eswatini, despite mounting criticism, has already received deportees.
The South Sudanese government, working with the respective home governments, is now focused on repatriating the six remaining detainees. The Trump administration fought for over a month in federal court to send Munoz and the other deportees to South Sudan, a decision upheld by a Supreme Court ruling and a federal court interpretation in Massachusetts, allowing the government to send the eight to South Sudan by early July.
Tricia McLaughlin, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, stated, "law and order prevails" following the decision. The US Department of Homeland Security and Mexico's Foreign Ministry have not yet commented on the matter, despite CNN reaching out for comment.
Ambassador Apuk Ayuel Mayen, spokesperson for South Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed Munoz's "smooth and orderly" departure from South Sudan on Saturday during a press conference at Juba International Airport. South Sudanese officials have not made any public statements regarding the remaining deportees.
This development comes amidst ongoing debates about the ethics and legality of deporting individuals to countries where they may face danger or persecution. The fate of the six remaining detainees in South Sudan remains uncertain.
Read also:
- Tobacco industry's suggested changes on a legislative modification are disregarded by health journalists
- Trump's Policies: Tariffs, AI, Surveillance, and Possible Martial Law
- Uncovering Political Ad Transparency: A Guide to Investigating opponent's Political Advertisements in the Digital Realm
- Elon Musk praises JD Vance's debate performance against Tim Walz
