ICE Memo Allows Rapid Deportation of Migrants to Third Countries with Minimal Notice
A recent memo from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reveals that the agency may deport migrants to countries other than their own with as little as six hours’ notice under certain urgent conditions.
The memo, dated July 9, 2025, and issued by ICE’s acting director Todd Lyons, outlines that while the agency typically provides at least 24 hours’ notice before removal to a “third country,” this period can be shortened in exigent circumstances — provided migrants have had the opportunity to consult with an attorney, Reuters reported.
This new policy permits deportations to nations that have committed not to persecute or torture the individuals without requiring additional procedural safeguards. The move follows a June Supreme Court decision that lifted restrictions on deportations without prior screening for persecution risks in the destination country.
The Trump administration, aiming to increase deportation numbers, has already sent migrants from various countries including Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Sudan, and Vietnam to South Sudan. Additionally, officials have sought cooperation from several African nations to accept deportees.
Advocates have condemned the policy as potentially dangerous and lacking due process, highlighting concerns migrants might be sent to countries where they face violence, lack ties, or do not speak the language. Legal challenges are underway, including a class action lawsuit by the National Immigration Litigation Alliance.
The memo was submitted as evidence in a wrongful deportation case involving Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia, underscoring the controversy surrounding these expedited third-country removals.
Since mid-May, the United States has stepped up the pace of deportations. According to data independently compiled by Thomas Cartwright, a member of the immigration advocacy group Witness at the Border, 209 expulsion flights took place in June, the highest number since 2020.
