Key Takeaways
• Judge Murphy halted deportations of Asian migrants to Libya on May 7, 2025, citing risks and court order violations.
• ICE officers allegedly pressured detainees to sign Libya deportation forms, isolating and handcuffing those who refused.
• Libya’s rival governments both denied any agreement to accept deported migrants from the United States.
A US Judge has put a temporary stop to the deportation of Asian migrants to Libya 🇱🇾. This order came on May 7, 2025, after Judge Brian Murphy reviewed an emergency request from lawyers representing people from Laos 🇱🇦, the Philippines 🇵🇭, and Vietnam 🇻🇳. The lawyers argued that sending their clients to Libya 🇱🇾 would put them in real danger, especially since Libya 🇱🇾 has a poor record when it comes to protecting people’s rights. Judge Murphy agreed, stating the deportations would go against a court order he had already made and that these migrants should first have a real chance to explain why their removal would put them at risk.
Lawyers said in their filings that some migrants were pressured in upsetting ways. For example, six migrants were put in a room by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and told to sign papers saying they agreed to go to Libya 🇱🇾. When they said no, the lawyers said the migrants were separated and handcuffed — they were left alone in what was described as a “basically, solitary” cell. This, the lawyers said, was to force them into agreeing to be deported to Libya 🇱🇾. There were also claims that some migrants were told they might be sent to Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 as well as Libya 🇱🇾.
The Trump administration’s decision to try to deport Asian migrants to Libya 🇱🇾 caused quick reactions in Washington, D.C. and overseas. President Trump was asked about the plan at a White House event, but he said he did not know about it and told people to talk to the Department of Homeland Security. The head of that department, Secretary Kristi Noem, said she couldn’t confirm if any plan to send migrants to Libya 🇱🇾 really existed.
Judge Murphy’s ruling focuses on a key point: the government can’t deport people to countries other than their own — at least not unless the migrants have had a fair chance to explain their fears in court. His earlier order had made this very clear. He also said that the government can’t try to get around his ruling by letting other departments, like the Department of Defense, handle deportations. This last remark was important because some news agencies, like Reuters, reported that the Trump administration wanted to use a US military airplane for these flights.
Why does any of this matter? For migrants facing deportation, the destination country can make a life-or-death difference. The emergency court filing explained that to send people, including those who have never lived there, to Libya 🇱🇾 is dangerous. Libya 🇱🇾 has experienced violent conflicts and political chaos since its longtime leader Moamer Kadhafi was removed in 2011. The country has two rival governments — one based in Tripoli and the other based in the east, under military leader Khalifa Haftar. Both governments came forward to say clearly that they had not made any deals with the United States 🇺🇸 to accept deported migrants. The Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU) stated they had made no agreement and said any “parallel entities, not subject to legitimacy” involved in these plans did not speak for Libya 🇱🇾. The eastern administration, led by Haftar, also said there was “no agreement or understanding” on taking migrants of any nationality.
For many years, Libya 🇱🇾 has not had a stable, single government. There have been regular reports of kidnapping, detaining, and even harming migrants there. Many international groups say that sending people to Libya 🇱🇾 could put them in real harm’s way, with a risk of violence, jail, or worse. Judge Murphy accepted the lawyers’ argument that the migrants were facing “imminent” removal and that if sent, their safety would be at risk in a country with “notorious” problems around basic human rights.
The US Judge’s temporary restraining order blocks the Trump administration from proceeding with the plan while the lawsuits continue. This is not the first time courts have stopped the administration’s deportation proposals. For example, federal judges previously stopped attempts to use the old 1798 Alien Enemies Act to send Venezuelan suspects to El Salvador 🇸🇻.
The legal fight here is about more than just one group of people or one country. It highlights a pattern seen in recent years — where the US government has tried to deport migrants to so-called “third countries,” meaning a country that is not the person’s home. In this case, the migrants are from Laos 🇱🇦, the Philippines 🇵🇭, and Vietnam 🇻🇳, and none of them have a connection to Libya 🇱🇾. Analysis from VisaVerge.com suggests that these kinds of forced removals to unfamiliar and potentially dangerous places are a major concern, not just for the people involved, but for the wider debate around safety for migrants and the responsibilities of governments.
Here are some key points about what happened, and why this case is getting so much attention:
- The Trump administration tried to send Asian migrants to Libya 🇱🇾, but a US Judge stepped in and blocked it for now.
- The emergency court filing said Libya 🇱🇾 isn’t safe and migrants there could face serious harm.
- There were claims that US immigration officers pressured and isolated detainees who refused to sign themselves over to Libya 🇱🇾.
- Both rival governments in Libya 🇱🇾 denied there was any agreement to take in deported migrants from the United States 🇺🇸.
- President Trump said he was not aware of the plan, and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem could not confirm it.
- The legal fight is about whether migrants must have a clear chance to make their case before being sent to another country, especially to a place with a history of rights abuses.
Let’s look a little deeper into the court’s reasoning and the possible effects for people facing deportation in the future. Judge Murphy reminded the government that his past order requires what he calls a “meaningful opportunity” for migrants to appear in court. This means they have the right to explain, with help from a lawyer if needed, that they fear harm or persecution if they are sent to another country. He stressed in his new order: “The allegedly imminent removals, as reported by news agencies, would clearly violate this Court’s Order.” In simple words, he said the rules are clear and must be followed — no shortcuts.
The judge also made clear that the Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE, could not just pass this duty to “another government agency,” like the Department of Defense, to try to get around the court’s protections. This was important because new reports said the government considered using a US military flight for the removals.
Lawyers in this case laid out many concerns over how their clients were treated while in ICE custody. They said the officers gathered six people in a room, handed them forms, and told them to sign that they agreed to be removed to Libya 🇱🇾. If they didn’t, the lawyers said, they were split up and handcuffed alone in cells to pressure them. The lawyers compared this situation to solitary confinement, which is when someone is locked up alone without anyone else to talk to. This kind of action, the lawyers said, was meant to scare or force the detainees into saying “yes” even if they did not want to go.
Such claims of pressure and mistreatment are serious because US laws and international treaties say that people who fear harm have a right to ask for protection. If someone says they will face danger if sent to another place, the law says the government must look at those fears before making a final decision.
Both governments in Libya 🇱🇾, which have been fighting with each other since 2011, tried to make it clear that they are not part of any plan to accept deported migrants. The Tripoli-based group sent out a statement denying any agreement, and said “parallel entities” that might be involved don’t actually represent Libya 🇱🇾. The eastern side, led by Khalifa Haftar, also issued a statement saying there was no talk or understanding about taking in migrants “of any nationality”.
The situation in Libya 🇱🇾 is complicated. Since the fall of Kadhafi, there has been trouble, with regular reports of violence, criminal gangs, and a poor track record for the way migrants are treated. Global agencies, such as the United Nations, often warn that conditions for migrants in Libya 🇱🇾 can be brutal, with many facing risk of abuse or being kept in bad conditions. You can read more about how the United States 🇺🇸 handles these matters on the official US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) website.
Back in the United States 🇺🇸, when asked about the situation, President Trump simply said he did not know about the plan and told people to ask the Department of Homeland Security about it. Secretary Noem, who runs the department, also would not confirm or deny whether such a plan was real, leaving many questions unanswered.
The Trump administration has a history of trying to send people to countries where they were not born or have no family ties. For instance, the government once used the very old Alien Enemies Act, a law from 1798, to try sending Venezuelan suspects to El Salvador 🇸🇻. But, once again, federal judges stepped in and blocked those removals.
The bigger picture is this: the legal challenge is about protecting migrants’ rights, especially when their lives could be in danger if they are sent somewhere unfamiliar. Judge Murphy’s decision puts a stop, at least for now, to sending Asian migrants to Libya 🇱🇾 until the courts can fully hear the case.
For migrants in US custody, this decision means that, for now, they cannot be sent to Libya 🇱🇾 without being allowed to explain why that would put them in danger. Immigration lawyers and human rights groups say this protects the fairness of the immigration process and makes sure the government cannot ignore court rules by using other agencies or rushing removals.
For employers, schools, and families who might be waiting for a decision on someone’s case, this ruling signals that the courts still have an important role in checking government actions. For the migrants themselves, it provides a bit of hope — at least while their legal cases are being heard.
The story will continue to develop as the case moves through the courts. For now, the process is paused, and the Trump administration cannot send the group of Asian migrants to Libya 🇱🇾.
To sum up, the temporary order from Judge Murphy means no deportations to Libya 🇱🇾 while the court considers all the facts. The legal fight shines a light on how important it is for governments to take care with deportation, especially to countries where people might face harm. As the world keeps watching, this case may shape how the US handles deportations — both now and in the future.
Learn Today
Temporary Restraining Order → A court order temporarily preventing government actions, such as deportations, until further review or a hearing is held.
Third Country Deportation → The practice of sending migrants to a country that is not their nationality or usual residence, often considered controversial.
Due Process → Legal principle requiring the government to respect a person’s legal rights, including fair hearings before deprivation of liberty.
Solitary Confinement → The isolation of detainees in a cell without contact, often used as a form of pressure or punishment.
Alien Enemies Act → A U.S. law from 1798 once used to justify deportations of foreigners during wartime or perceived security threats.
This Article in a Nutshell
A U.S. judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s deportation of Asian migrants to Libya, citing life-threatening risks. Both rival Libyan governments denied agreements with the U.S. Legal challenges highlight the need for fair hearings and due process for migrants before removal to unsafe third countries. The case continues pending review.
— By VisaVerge.com
Read more:
• Libya deportation flight challenged by immigrant rights groups in court
• US Plans Libya Deportation Despite Official Denials
• U.S. Plans Shocking Migrant Deportations to Libya
• Trump administration considers sending deported migrants to Libya and Rwanda
• Essential Visa Rules & Required Documents for Traveling to Libya
