L.A. Man Faces Deportation to Libya After ICE Check-In
ICE Detainees Falsely Told of Deportation to Libya Spark Outrage
A group of immigrants, including a construction worker from Los Angeles, faced a terrifying ordeal when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials wrongly informed them they would be deported to Libya. Attorneys for the detainees are now fighting to prevent the deportations, citing safety concerns and potential violations of due process regarding the Trump governance immigration policy.
The incident began around 2:30 a.m. last week at the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, when guards roused 13 detainees, shackled them, and put them on a bus. They were told they were headed to Libya, according to attorneys Tin Thanh Nguyen and Johnny Sinodis.
Nguyen, who represents the Los Angeles man, described the situation as “very aggressive.” He withheld his client’s name, fearing retaliation. The detainees came from various countries, including Vietnam, laos, and the Philippines, none of which border Libya.
The bus transported the men to what was likely Lackland Air Force Base, where they sat on the tarmac for hours in front of a military plane. According to court documents, Nguyen’s client said, “My client and the other men on the bus were silent… My client was extremely scared.”
Judge Brian E. murphy in Massachusetts issued a warning to halt any removals to Libya or other third countries, emphasizing that officials must provide detainees with due process and notice in their own language. This order came after media reports confirmed the imminent removals.
Sinodis reported that his client and others were returned to the detention unit and placed in solitary confinement for 24 hours. He added that a Mexican and a Bolivian national were told their home countries would accept them, but officials still intended to send them to Libya.
“My client and the other men on the bus were silent. My client was extremely scared.”
The U.N. Human Rights Office has also weighed in, expressing concerns about the treatment of migrants. Volker Turk, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated that the situation raises “serious concerns regarding a wide array of rights that are essential to both U.S. and international law.” He also criticized the use of shackles and “demeaning rhetoric” against migrants.
Sinodis’ client, who had been in custody for months, was initially told he would be deported to the Philippines.However,he was transferred to Texas and presented with a document stating he would be deported to Libya. Nguyen’s client, who does not speak fluent English, received a similar document and refused to sign it.
What’s next
The attorneys continue to fight the deportations, seeking to ensure their clients are not sent to a country as hazardous as Libya. The incident raises questions about the Trump administration immigration policy and the treatment of detainees in ICE custody.