New Court Filing Reveals South Sudan Deportations Endanger Migrants and ICE Officers

Nearly a dozen Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials and several migrants deported to South Sudan by the prior U.S. administration are currently living in dangerous conditions inside a converted shipping container at a U.S. military base in Djibouti, according to a recent court filing. The migrants—who were sent to South Sudan without being given the chance to challenge their removal—are facing a range of severe health and safety threats, as highlighted in affidavits submitted by senior ICE officials.

The court documents underscore a growing humanitarian crisis. The filing from ICE official Mellisa Harper describes blistering heat surpassing 100 degrees Fahrenheit daily, widespread exposure to malaria, and the constant risk of rocket attacks from terrorist groups operating out of Yemen. These perils threaten both the deported migrants and the ICE personnel assigned to oversee them. The climate and unsafe environment are further compounded by the presence of nearby burn pits, which generate hazardous smog from burning trash and human waste—a daily reality for those now confined within the repurposed Conex container.

Health concerns have swiftly mounted. According to the filing, both ICE officers and detainees began reporting symptoms such as persistent coughing, shortness of breath, and joint pain within just three days of arriving. Many lack access to adequate testing and medication, increasing the risk of complications from untreated illnesses. Some ICE personnel have resorted to sleeping in N-95 masks at night in a desperate attempt to filter out the smoke and airborne toxins surrounding their quarters.

These physical dangers come on top of imminent threats from regional conflict. Defense Department officials reportedly notified ICE staff of an "imminent danger" of possible rocket attacks from militants in Yemen, but those on site do not possess adequate protective equipment such as body armor. Meanwhile, South Sudan itself remains gripped by violence: recent clashes over resources and a newly declared state of emergency in parts of the country have displaced over 150,000 people this year alone.

The crisis follows a federal judge's intervention, which required the government to keep eight of the deported migrants under U.S. custody until they received so-called "reasonable fear interviews"—in effect, giving them a chance to describe any credible threats of persecution or torture should they be returned to their home country or elsewhere. Judge Brian Murphy explicitly stated that his order did not require the conversion of the military base into an immigration holding center, noting that this measure was implemented at the government's suggestion.

Migrants and officials alike now wait anxiously for a resolution, with uncertainty hanging over whether the government will relocate the group from Djibouti and provide improved humanitarian protections. The unfolding situation not only places lives at risk but has also escalated ongoing legal and policy battles over the conduct and oversight of U.S. immigration operations abroad.