New Court Filing Warns South Sudan Deportations Endanger Migrants and ICE Officials

Nearly a dozen Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials and a group of migrants deported to South Sudan under the Trump administration are being held in a converted shipping container on a U.S. military base in Djibouti, where they face a host of dire health and safety threats. A recent court filing highlights that both the officials and the migrants are exposed to extreme heat, heightened risk of disease, and imminent security threats as they await resolution of their legal status.

The situation has come under scrutiny following an order from a federal judge requiring the migrants—who were previously deported to South Sudan without legal recourse—to remain in U.S. custody. The judge mandated that each individual be granted a “reasonable fear interview,” providing them a chance to articulate any fear of persecution or torture if removed to a third country. However, while this process unfolds, the dangerous conditions described in the court filing threaten the well-being of everyone involved.

According to the filing by senior ICE official Mellisa Harper, none of the ICE officials were provided with anti-malaria medication before traveling to Djibouti. This oversight has left them vulnerable to potentially deadly diseases in a region already grappling with violence and resource scarcity. South Sudan itself remains deeply unstable, with its president recently declaring a state of emergency in areas plagued by intercommunal fighting over access to cattle and potable water.

Even within the relative safety of the U.S. military base—the only permanent American outpost on the African continent—the risks are significant. The migrants are housed in a converted Conex shipping container, where daily temperatures soar above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. These harsh conditions make prolonged detention especially hazardous. The base also contends with thick plumes of smoke from nearby burn pits, which are used to incinerate trash and human waste. The resulting “smog cloud” routinely envelops the area, prompting some ICE officers to don N-95 masks even while sleeping, in an effort to protect themselves from inhaling unknown toxins.

Within just 72 hours of arrival, both ICE officials and detainees began reporting symptoms such as coughing, difficulty breathing, and joint pain. There is limited testing or medical intervention available, compounding the risks posed by environmental exposure. Officials warn that the physical health of the group could deteriorate further without proper treatment or relocation.

Security threats add another layer of urgency. Upon arrival, ICE officials were alerted to “imminent danger” stemming from rocket attacks launched by terrorist groups in neighboring Yemen. The court documents note that ICE officers lack body armor or protective equipment suitable for such attacks, leaving them and the migrants increasingly vulnerable.

These revelations have intensified pressure on the administration to find a safer solution for the group. While Judge Murphy’s orders require that the migrants remain in U.S. custody long enough for their interviews and claims to be properly evaluated, he clarified that the government was not obligated to use the Djibouti facility and could pursue other options to ensure their safety. He criticized the administration for what he called “manufacturing chaos” by opting to detain the migrants under such hazardous conditions.

With tens of thousands recently displaced by violence and instability across South Sudan, and no clear plan from U.S. authorities about where the group might be relocated next, the future for the migrants and ICE officials remains dangerously uncertain. The situation continues to unfold under close judicial scrutiny, as health and security threats escalate.