Supreme Court paves way for Trump to send migrants to South Sudan

The Justice Department had sought clarification of a Supreme Court decision that allowed the administration to quickly deport immigrants to "third countries."

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed President Donald Trump to move ahead with plans to send eight convicted criminals to South Sudan, a move that had been blocked by a federal judge who accused the administration of defying his instructions.

In an order, the court clarified its decision from June 23 that made it easier for the U.S. to deport migrants to "third countries" to which they have no previous connection.

The Supreme Court said in the unsigned order that its earlier ruling applied to the eight men, who are being held in a U.S. facility in Djibouti, meaning the judge's later decision was "unenforceable."

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Two of the court's liberal members, Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented.