Appeals Court Blocks Swift Deportation of Immigrants to Third Countries

A federal appeals court has struck down a Department of Homeland Security policy that allowed for the rapid deportation of immigrants to third countries, ruling that individuals must be given sufficient notice before being sent to nations where they lack connections. The unanimous decision came from a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit on Friday.

"An individual's right to contest removal to a country based on a fear of persecution in that country means little if one does not receive prior notice of the intended removal destination and a meaningful opportunity to contest that destination," wrote Circuit Judge Seth Aframe in the court's opinion.

The ruling permits migrants to challenge deportations to countries other than their place of origin. According to the lawsuit that prompted the decision, immigrants were frequently transferred to third countries with minimal to no advance warning, often under the justification of "diplomatic assurances" that the receiving nation would not mistreat them.

This ruling comes after reports of immigrants being deported to countries with which they had no connection. ABC News previously documented the experiences of a group of Latin American men who were deported to the Central African Republic without being informed of their destination until hours into their flight. One of these men, Aristides Fernandez Garcia, described the experience as feeling "kidnapped" and stated that "they have violated all the rights that exist in life, because we are human beings."

In recent months, the administration has increased deportations to third countries, establishing formal agreements with 35 nations, including Liberia, Ghana, the Central African Republic, and Sierra Leone. These deportation agreements have reportedly cost the U.S. nearly $50 million, according to Savi Arvey, director of policy for refugee and immigrant rights at Human Rights First. Arvey criticized the administration's approach, stating, "I think the fact that the administration is sending refugees to the most dangerous countries in the world, to countries run by corrupt autocrats where they've been arbitrarily detained and sent back to persecution and torture, shows that the administration has a complete disregard for due process, for international law and for human dignity."