The U.S. Supreme Court granted the request of President Donald Trump's administration and temporarily lifted restrictions on the deportation of illegal immigrants to so-called third countries—countries that are not the country of origin of the deported individual. At the same time, the court agreed to consider the matter substantively in December. Until that time, the lower court's ruling, which limited such practices, will not be in effect. Previously, a federal court ruled that authorities are required to inform individuals in advance about the country to which they plan to send them before deportation. This is intended to provide an opportunity to claim if they may face persecution or other dangers in that country. The Supreme Court's decision was supported by a conservative majority. Three liberal justices opposed the lifting of the restrictions. The dispute is related to the immigration policy of the Trump administration. During his campaign, he promised to significantly expedite the deportation of illegal immigrants, and after returning to the White House, he began to implement this program. The administration believes that the ability to send migrants to third countries is necessary in cases where the country of origin refuses to accept its citizens back. According to U.S. Solicitor General John Sauer, such a mechanism is an important tool for deporting certain categories of foreigners, including those whom authorities consider to be the most dangerous criminals. At the same time, opponents of this practice note that the lower court did not completely prohibit such deportations but only required procedural guarantees and provided individuals the opportunity to contest the decision before deportation. It is important to note that U.S. law still prohibits deportation to countries where individuals may face torture, persecution, or danger to their lives. This restriction remains in effect regardless of the current Supreme Court decision. According to an AFP investigation, the U.S. sought the consent of certain countries to accept deportees by offering financial assistance and using diplomatic pressure, including the threat of imposing visa restrictions. The agency claims that upon arrival in some of these countries, deportees faced prolonged detention, mistreatment by local authorities, or subsequent deportation to their countries of origin. The U.S. Supreme Court will provide a final legal assessment of the practice of deportation to third countries after considering the case substantively, which is scheduled for December.
