Federal appeals court blocks Trump third-country deportation policy

A federal court has suspended enforcement of a DHS policy that processed over 25,000 deportations to third countries (80% to Mexico, others to Liberia, Ghana, Central African Republic, Sierra Leone) under diplomatic assurances alone. The ruling requires the government to provide advance notice and allow migrants a meaningful hearing before deportation. Affected populations include asylum claimants and immigrants without legal status in the U.S. The Trump administration has invested nearly $50 million in these deportation agreements and plans to appeal to the Supreme Court, which previously permitted some third-country removals. The outcome will determine whether rapid third-country deportations can resume or require procedural changes.