South Sudan May Re-Deport US Deportees

(Juba) – The Trump administration has confirmed the deportation of eight foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes to South Sudan, even though only one of the individuals is originally from the country. The decision has drawn criticism from legal experts, South Sudanese officials, and human rights advocates, raising questions about international law, diplomatic protocol, and the treatment of foreign nationals under US immigration policy.

According to a senior US administration official, the eight men — who are from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Vietnam, and South Sudan — were described as some of the “most violent individuals illegally in the United States.” They had been convicted of crimes ranging from murder to sexual assault of vulnerable individuals, including children.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated on social media that no other country was willing to accept the individuals due to the severity of their crimes. “We conducted a deportation flight from Texas to remove some of the most barbaric, violent individuals illegally in the United States. No country on earth wanted to accept them,” the DHS post read.

One of the deportees, Nyo Myint, a Burmese national, was convicted in 2017 of first-degree sexual assault involving a mentally and physically incapacitated victim in Nebraska. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Another, Thongxay Nilakout of Laos, had served nearly 30 years for the 1994 murder of a German tourist in California.

Despite a federal court order restricting removals, the Trump administration proceeded with the deportations. US District Judge Brian E. Murphy in Massachusetts had earlier ruled that migrants facing deportation to third countries must be allowed a “meaningful opportunity” to argue against their removal. He emphasized that deporting individuals to nations that are not their homeland, especially when their safety may be at risk, may violate legal protections under US and international law.

Following the deportation, the US military aircraft carrying the men reportedly landed temporarily at a base in Djibouti. It remains unclear whether the individuals have been officially received by South Sudanese authorities.

South Sudan’s police said Wednesday that none of the deported individuals had arrived in the country. Major General James Monday Enoka stated that if any non-South Sudanese nationals were found to have been sent to the country, they would be investigated and, if necessary, returned to their countries of origin. “They will be re-deported to their correct country,” he said.

South Sudanese authorities have not publicly consented to receiving the deportees. Officials say they were not informed or involved in the process, and have voiced strong objections to accepting individuals who are not citizens of South Sudan.

The deportations have added tension to an already sensitive international issue involving immigration enforcement, legal rights of detainees, and US foreign policy decisions. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, defended the administration’s actions, saying that all proper legal steps had been followed and that the migrants and their attorneys were given sufficient notice.

“It is absolutely absurd for a district judge to try to dictate the foreign policy and national security of the United States,” McLaughlin said.

The eight men deported were named by officials as Enrique Arias-Hierro, Jose Manuel Rodriguez-Quinones, Thongxay Nilakout, Jesus Munoz-Gutierrez, Dian Peter Domach, Kyaw Mya, Nyo Myint, and Tuan Thanh Phan. Only one, Domach, is reportedly from South Sudan.

As of June 2025, there is no indication of monetary compensation, support, or resettlement assistance provided to South Sudan to receive these individuals. South Sudan’s per capita GDP remains among the lowest globally, and the country faces widespread instability, making it an unusual choice for such deportations.