Deported to Unfamiliar Countries: A Lawyer's Fight for Justice

The Case of Nyo Myint

• 🎯 Nyo Myint, a refugee from Myanmar, was deported by the Trump administration to countries he had never been to, first Djibouti, then South Sudan.
• ⚖️ His immigration attorney, Jonathan Ryan, is now seeking intervention from the United Nations on his behalf.

The Practice of Third-Country Deportations

• 🌍 The Trump administration utilized a long-standing regulation allowing deportation to a third country when removal to the home country is impracticable or inadvisable.
• ⚠️ This regulation, though broad and fuzzy, was used to ramp up enforcement and mass deportations, bypassing due process and judicial review.
• ✈️ An initial plan to deport migrants to Libya was called off, but the practice continued, with Nyo Myint and seven others being sent to South Sudan.

Harsh Conditions and Legal Battles

• ⛓️ Nyo Myint and others were held for six weeks in a container unit on a US military base in Djibouti, enduring harsh conditions, including burn pits and mosquitoes.
• 🏛️ Lawyers, including Jonathan Ryan, filed motions to prevent their removal to South Sudan, arguing the government was breaking domestic and international law.
• 🧑‍⚖️ The Supreme Court, without explanation, allowed the men to be flown to South Sudan, canceling a lower court's injunction that had provided some process.

The Dangers of South Sudan

• ⚠️ South Sudan is a Level 4 "Do Not Travel" country due to civil war, unrest, weak governance, harsh prison conditions, and government-sponsored torture.
• 💔 The US government's actions are seen not as protection but as punishment, sending individuals to dangerous countries to send a message.

Seeking International Intervention

• 🌐 Jonathan Ryan is filing complaints with various bodies within the United Nations, including the Human Rights Committee and working groups.
• ⚖️ He is also exploring avenues with the African Commission and the International Criminal Court, suggesting potential penalties for violations of domestic and international law, including state-sponsored human trafficking.
• ❓ The whereabouts and condition of Nyo Myint and the other men remain unknown, effectively disappearing into South Sudan.