Trump administration urges Supreme Court to revive third-country deportation policy

Updated on: September 24, 2026 / 5:12 PM EDT / CBS News

Trump administration urges Supreme Court to revive third-country deportation policy

TL;DR

  • The Trump administration is seeking the Supreme Court's intervention to revive its third-country deportation policy.
  • Lower courts have struck down the policy, ruling it violates deportees' due process rights by denying them notice and a chance to challenge deportation to third countries.
  • The administration argues that the policy is essential for removing individuals, particularly those with criminal records, whose home countries refuse repatriation.
  • Justice Department lawyers state that the policy's suspension has already led to canceled deportation flights and could disrupt delicate diplomatic agreements with foreign nations.
  • The policy targets immigrants who have won limited legal protections preventing deportation to their homelands or whose home countries reject U.S. deportations.