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A group of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and eight deported migrants are stranded at Camp Lemonnier, a U.S. military base in Djibouti, East Africa. The situation arose after a federal judge blocked the deportation of the migrants to South Sudan, leaving them in a legal limbo. The migrants, who have criminal records, hail from countries including Cuba, Mexico, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar. They were initially on a deportation flight from Texas when the plane was rerouted to Djibouti due to the court ruling.
The deportees and ICE officers are housed in a converted shipping container, facing harsh conditions such as extreme heat, poor air quality from nearby burn pits, and the threat of rocket attacks. Temperatures in the area exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and both officers and detainees have reported symptoms of respiratory illness. ICE officers are working 12-hour shifts and lack adequate resources for prolonged detention.
The legal standoff began when Massachusetts District Judge Brian Murphy halted the deportation, allowing the migrants to remain in U.S. custody overseas for a "reasonable fear interview" to assess potential dangers if returned to South Sudan. Despite the Trump administration's request to house the deportees overseas, the decision has sparked humanitarian concerns over the conditions in which they are held. ICE officers and detainees are experiencing symptoms consistent with bacterial upper respiratory infections, and access to necessary medications is limited.