Trump wins Supreme Court green light for third-country deportations

Justices let controversial deportation policy resume — but the final legal battle comes in December

Donald Trump has won another major immigration battle at the US Supreme Court, with the justices allowing his administration to resume deporting migrants to countries other than their own.

The ruling temporarily puts on hold a lower-court decision that had required migrants to be given a meaningful opportunity to raise concerns about possible persecution or torture before being sent to a third country.

But this is not the final word.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the underlying case in December, meaning the administration can restart the policy now while the bigger legal fight continues.

More than 25,000 already deported

The policy has become a major part of Trump's immigration crackdown.

Human rights groups estimate that more than 25,000 migrants have already been deported to 29 countries, with the vast majority sent to Mexico. Others have been sent to countries including South Sudan, Uganda and several African nations.

The administration says the system is an essential tool for removing people whose home countries will not accept them, particularly those accused of serious crimes.

Opponents argue that it can also affect migrants who have no connection to the country receiving them, including people who have previously received protection from being returned to their homeland.

The fight now moves to December

A federal judge in Boston ruled that the policy violated immigration procedures and constitutional due-process protections. The 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals largely upheld that decision last month.

Tuesday's Supreme Court order temporarily freezes those restrictions.

Three liberal justices — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson — would have refused the administration's request to restart the deportations.

For Trump, however, the immediate result is clear:

The deportation flights can resume while America's highest court prepares to decide whether the policy itself can survive.

SOURCE

Oh my

The Chomper and his fellow travellers with be having heart attacks and strokes.

The vitriol and venom will be impressive.