Judge Keeps Protections in Place, Blocks Trump-Era Third-Country Deportations — For Now

UNITED STATES (TXAN 24) — A federal judge has once again pumped the brakes on former President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts, keeping additional deportations on hold, at least for now.

U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy said a prior order blocking the Department of Homeland Security from deporting migrants to third countries remains in effect, despite a June decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that paused a broader injunction.

While the Supreme Court halted Murphy’s earlier nationwide order, the judge clarified that a separate May 21 ruling, specifically protecting six migrants who were slated for removal to South Sudan, was not covered by the high court’s stay. As a result, that narrower protection remains “in full force and effect.”

The distinction may sound technical, but its impact is significant. For the migrants involved, the decision means additional time and legal safeguards before facing removal to a country not their own.

Immigration advocates argue the ruling reinforces due process protections and ensures federal agencies follow established protocols before carrying out deportations. The case also highlights the continued role of the courts in reviewing executive immigration authority, an issue that has remained at the center of national debate.

For now, the order preserves limits on how deportations to third countries can proceed, signaling that even amid shifting legal battles, judicial oversight remains firmly in place.