US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) may now deport migrants to countries other than their home nations with just a six-hour notice, according to a memo from a top official in the Trump administration.
New Policy for Quick Deportations
Typically, ICE would wait at least 24 hours after notifying an individual of their removal to a “third country.” However, the memo dated July 9, from acting director Todd Lyons, outlined that “in exigent circumstances,” immigration officials could expedite the process to as little as six hours.
The memo clarified that migrants could be sent to countries where they had been assured they would not face persecution or torture “without the need for further procedures.”
Implications of the New Policy
This new approach indicates the Trump-led administration’s intent to quickly deport migrants worldwide. The Supreme Court recently lifted restrictions that previously limited such deportations without assessing the risk of persecution in these third countries, enabling a faster deportation process.
Following the high court’s ruling, ICE successfully deported eight migrants from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Sudan, and Vietnam to South Sudan. Reports suggest that the administration also urged officials from five African nations—Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Gabon—to accept deportees from elsewhere.
Defense and Criticism of the Policy
Supporters of the policy argue it allows for swift removal of migrants who do not belong in the US, particularly those with criminal records. However, detractors have labeled it as “dangerous and cruel,” highlighting the risk of sending individuals to places where they may face violence, lack community ties, or struggle with language barriers.
Trina Realmuto, an attorney for a migrants’ advocacy group involved in a class-action lawsuit against deportations, criticized the new policy, stating it:
“falls far short of providing the statutory and due process protections that the law requires.”
Historical Context
While third-country deportations have occurred in the past, this new policy suggests they could be implemented more frequently as the administration aims to intensify the deportation process. During his previous presidency from 2017 to 2021, Trump’s administration also deported a small number of individuals from El Salvador and Honduras to Guatemala.
