A group of nearly a dozen US immigration officers and eight deportees have been stranded for more than two weeks at a US military base in Djibouti after a federal judge in Boston halted a deportation flight. The detainees, who include individuals convicted of crimes like murder and armed robbery, are from Cuba, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos, and Mexico, per the Washington Post. The officers and deportees have been housed in a converted shipping container with little protection from extreme heat—temperatures have climbed to more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit—exposure to polluted air, and the threat of rocket attacks due to the camp's proximity to Yemen.
The group ended up in Djibouti after US District Judge Brian Murphy blocked their deportation to South Sudan, citing a rule against sending immigrants to countries where they aren't citizens without the opportunity to seek humanitarian protection. Instead of returning the group to the US, Trump administration officials rerouted them to Djibouti, claiming the detainees' original countries wouldn't take them back, per the AP. In Djibouti, they've reported illnesses like respiratory infections; per ABC News, neither the detainees nor ICE agents were able to start taking antimalarial meds until after they arrived in Djibouti.
Medical supplies are limited, and officials worry the stock won't last. ICE has had to rotate in additional staff to relieve the initial group amid not only illness, but also security threats and complaints from base personnel about housing violent offenders. Federal officials argue the judge's order disrupts base operations and puts officers at risk, while defense attorneys voice concerns about the detainees' health and treatment. Meanwhile, officials in Mexico said they weren't informed about a Mexican national deported to Djibouti and are reviewing his case.
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