Trump’s Guantanamo Deportation Plan Faces Legal Barrier 

United States: U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy has ordered the Trump administration to allow migrants detained at Guantanamo Bay to communicate safety concerns before being deported to El Salvador or other countries. The order follows evidence presented by immigrant rights groups that the government violated earlier court directives, as reported by Reuters. 

Violation of Prior Court Order 

The Department of Defense reportedly flew four Venezuelan migrants from Guantanamo Bay to El Salvador without giving them the chance to raise fears of torture or persecution—an action the court deemed a breach of an existing injunction issued in March. That order barred expedited deportations without such communication safeguards. 

Administration’s Defense and Legal Gap 

Government attorneys argued that the March injunction applied only to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), not to the Department of Defense. DHS oversees ICE deportation operations, but it was the Defense Department that arranged the Guantanamo transfers, as reported by Reuters. 

US judge limits Trump's ability to swiftly deport migrants held at Guantanamo Bay https://t.co/iGeuvzrxXT

— The Straits Times (@straits_times) April 30, 2025

Concerns Over Migrant Affiliations 

Justice Department officials claimed that three of the four deported migrants were linked to the Venezuelan criminal organization Tren de Aragua. Still, the court maintained that all individuals—regardless of alleged affiliations—deserve an opportunity to express concerns about their safety.