Deportation Flights To Libya Would Violate Court Order Without Prior Notice, Federal Judge Says

A national judge said Wednesday that immoderate imaginable deportation flights to Libya aliases Saudi Arabia would break a tribunal bid if nan Trump management does not supply precocious notification to nan impacted illegal immigrants and their attorneys first. 

The management has not confirmed planned deportation flights to either country, but a group of attorneys representing forbidden immigrants from nations including Vietnam, Laos and nan Philippines claimed successful tribunal documents that their clients were told by migration enforcement agents that they would soon beryllium sent to Libya aliases Saudi Arabia. 

Immigration lawyers asked U.S. District Judge Brian E. Murphy – who was nominated by erstwhile President Joe Biden – for a impermanent restraining bid Wednesday "to forestall non-citizen removals to 3rd countries, including but not constricted to Libya and Saudia Arabia, without anterior written announcement and a meaningful opportunity to raise fear-based claims." 

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Eighty migrants from Guatemala are deported to their state connected a United States subject level astatine nan Fort Bliss installation successful El Paso, Texas connected Jan. 30, 2025.  (Christian Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Murphy agreed pinch nan migration lawyers that nan mobility should not beryllium required because deporting nan forbidden immigrants to Libya without a chance to declare normal against torture (CAT) protection would break his anterior tribunal order. 

"The April 18, 2025 Preliminary Injunction requires each third-country removals to beryllium preceded, inter alia, by written announcement to some nan non-citizen and nan non-citizen’s counsel successful a connection nan non-citizen tin understand arsenic good arsenic a meaningful opportunity for nan non-citizen to raise a fear-based declare for CAT protection," Murphy wrote Wednesday. "The April 30, 2025 Amendment to nan Preliminary Injunction further clarifies that nan Department of Homeland Security whitethorn not evade this injunction by ceding power complete non-citizens aliases nan enforcement of its migration responsibilities to immoderate different agency, including but not constricted to nan Department of Defense."

"If location is immoderate doubt—the Court sees none—the allegedly imminent removals, arsenic reported by news agencies and arsenic Plaintiffs activity to corroborate pinch class-member accounts and nationalist information, would intelligibly break this Court’s Order." 

Fox News Digital reached retired to nan Department of Homeland Security for remark connected Thursday morning. 

In their petition seeking Murphy’s intervention, nan migration attorneys cited "alarming reports" precocious Tuesday and Wednesday greeting from "class members’ counsel and from nan press" announcing "the imminent removal" of Laotian, Vietnamese, and Philippine forbidden immigrants "being prepared for removal to Libya, a [country] notorious for its quality authorities violations, particularly pinch respect to migrant residents."

"Class members were being scheduled for removal contempt not receiving nan required announcement and opportunity to use for CAT protection," they wrote. 

A United States Air Force Boeing C-17 utilized for deportation flights is pictured astatine Biggs Army Airfield successful Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas connected February 13, 2025.  (JUSTIN HAMEL/AFP via Getty Images)

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The attorneys besides cited a CNN report claiming that publically disposable accusation "indicates that a C-17 formation is scheduled to alert connected Wednesday from Kelly Field successful San Antonio, Texas, to Misrata Airport successful Libya." 

The Associated Press cited a U.S. charismatic who said connected information of anonymity Wednesday astir alleged plans to fly migrants to Libya connected a subject plane. The charismatic reportedly did not person specifications connected nan timing of nan C-17 flight. 

Libya has denied reports of a deportation woody pinch nan U.S. 

The Tripoli-based authorities of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah said successful a connection Wednesday that location was "no woody aliases coordination" pinch nan U.S. to person migrants. However, it said "some parallel parties" could person agreed to person them.

Migrants from Guatemala are deported to their state connected a U.S. subject level astatine nan Fort Bliss installation successful El Paso, Texas connected Jan. 30, 2025.  (Christian Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images)

That appears to mention to its rival management successful eastbound Libya, which is controlled by powerful subject commandant Khalifa Hifter. Libya has been divided for years betwixt rival administrations successful nan eastbound and west, each backed by equipped groups and overseas governments. The Hifter-led Libya National Army, which controls eastbound and confederate Libya, besides released a statement, denying immoderate woody aliases knowing to person migrants from nan U.S.

President Donald Trump connected Wednesday directed questions to nan Department of Homeland Security(DHS), according to nan AP. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said during a news convention successful Illinois that she "can’t confirm" media reports of plans to nonstop group to Libya. The State Department told nan AP it does not "discuss nan specifications of our negotiated communications pinch different governments." 

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The Trump management has said it's exploring different 3rd countries for deportations. In summation to nan Venezuelans sent to El Salvador, nan management has deported group to Panama and Costa Rica who were not citizens of those countries.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.