From NPR · · 2m
U.S. ordered to bring Egyptian man back from Equatorial Guinea
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to reverse its deportation of an Egyptian gay man to central Africa, marking a rare legal victory against third-country removals.
In brief
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to reverse its deportation of an Egyptian gay man to central Africa, marking a rare legal victory against third-country removals. A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to return Ahmed Soliman to the U.S. after it deported him to Equatorial Guinea, where…
Egyptian man deported to Equatorial Guinea
The Trump administration deported Ahmed Soliman, a gay Egyptian man, to Equatorial Guinea earlier this year instead of to Egypt, where he could face persecution.
Judge orders his return to the U.S.
Arizona District Court Judge John Hinderaker, a Trump appointee, ordered the Department of Homeland Security to return Soliman to the U.S. on October sixth.
Judge cites abuse in Equatorial Guinea
Hinderaker wrote that Soliman has been held under armed guard, threatened at gunpoint, arrested, beaten and held incommunicado by Equatorial Guinean authorities.
“It is unrebutted that he has since been held under armed guard; threatened at gunpoint; and arrested, beaten, and held incommunicado by Equatorial Guinean authorities.”
Judge says due process was violated
Hinderaker ruled that the Department of Homeland Security violated the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment when it removed Soliman to a third country.
Administration says it will comply but deport him anyway
The Department of Homeland Security said it will comply with lawful court orders but that the end result will be the same and Soliman will not remain in the U.S.
“But the end result will be the same, he will not remain in the U.S. This administration will not ignore the rule of law.”
Soliman's lawyer calls for his release
Dana Camilleri, one of Soliman's lawyers, said compliance means diplomats in Equatorial Guinea must work to facilitate his release from the decommissioned hotel where he is held.
“We're all just really hopeful that this could be the beginning of getting them home. Because they're in an awful situation, and our government put them there.”
Deportations may violate international law
Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council said the harm Soliman suffered could put the U.S. in violation of the UN convention against torture.
“We are signatories of the UN convention against torture, and domestic law makes it illegal to send someone to a place where they will be persecuted.”
Second judge orders return from Africa
Hinderaker's order marks the second time a judge has forced the government to return a third-country migrant from Africa.A Colorado judge also ordered the return of Brayan Omar Sanchez Servellon from the Central African Republic.
The main idea
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to return Ahmed Soliman to the U.S. after it deported him to Equatorial Guinea, where he faced abuse and had no ties.
