The controversy around US plans to deport migrants with criminal records to Libya has reared its head once more after the US Supreme Court allowed President Trump to resume deportations.
On 23 June, the US Supreme Court voted to reverse a lower court order requiring the government to give migrants a ‘meaningful opportunity’ to tell officials what risks they might face being deported to a third country. This effectively clears the way for President Donald Trump’s administration to resume deportations of migrants to countries other than their homeland.
In response, the House of Representatives (HoR) Foreign Affairs Committee rejected any attempts by the US to deport ‘intruders and criminals’ to Libya, calling the move a blatant violation of Libya’s sovereignty and a serious breach of diplomatic and legal norms. The committee said that forcing Libya to accept individuals involved in crimes or legal violations on US soil amounts to unacceptable interference in internal affairs and would provoke a firm and clear political response.