The President of the United States faces a critical decision when dealing with illegal alien rapists or murderers who cannot be deported to their home countries. Should these individuals be released within the United States or sent elsewhere? For President Donald Trump, the answer is clear. Over the past year, he has implemented a strategy to deport criminal aliens, enhancing national safety.
International law prohibits sending illegal aliens to places where they might be persecuted due to race, religion, nationality, political beliefs, or social group membership. Additionally, many countries resist taking back criminals or lack diplomatic relations with the United States.
Before Trump, presidents often released such illegal aliens into the U.S., but this practice has changed under the Trump administration. Advocacy groups estimate that during Trump’s second term, approximately 25,000 illegal aliens have been deported to countries other than their own. This unprecedented move results from the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts and over 30 international agreements brokered by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Recently, eight criminal illegal aliens were deported to South Sudan on Independence Day, as per a release from the Department of Homeland Security.
The left countered with legal challenges aimed at blocking Trump’s deportation policies. Following Trump’s return to office, his administration faced a class-action lawsuit from the ACLU, the National Immigration Litigation Alliance, and the American Immigration Council to stop third-country deportations. Despite this, the Trump administration completed these deportations and intensified its efforts.
The law permits third-country deportations when removing aliens to their home countries is “impracticable, inadvisable.” This legal framework solidifies Trump’s deportation strategy, reflecting the American electorate’s demands.
Supreme Court rulings limit the detention duration for illegal aliens, considering up to six months as “presumptively reasonable.” This constraint often forces the administration to opt for third-country deportations, instead of costly transportation back to native lands.
The third-country deportation strategy is proving effective and may deter illegal immigration. Potential immigrants understand the risk of being sent to remote countries like South Sudan.
The courts are discussing the notification time required before deporting illegal aliens to a third country. A Biden-appointed judge ruled that illegal aliens have rights under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), a 1946 law guiding governmental regulation issuance. Nevertheless, the judiciary upholds third-country removals as a legitimate presidential tool. The Supreme Court plans to schedule further arguments.
Third-country removal exemplifies Trump’s use of pre-existing but underused tools. Trump’s stance is that America didn’t need new immigration laws to resolve the border crisis; it required the right leadership.
The American electorate sought mass deportations, and the Trump administration is fulfilling this mandate.