ICE Agents, Detainees Endure Heat, Disease, Rocket Risks at Djibouti Base

A group of eight migrants with criminal convictions and nearly a dozen U.S. ICE agents are stranded at Camp Lemonnier, a U.S. military base in Djibouti, following a federal judge's order blocking their deportation to South Sudan. The detainees, who come from countries including Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, South Sudan, and Vietnam, were placed in a converted shipping container under extreme heat, with limited facilities and medical care, leading to illness among both migrants and ICE staff. ICE officials have expressed concerns about inadequate security, exposure to malaria, nearby burn pits, and threats from potential rocket attacks by terrorist groups in nearby Yemen. The situation arose after U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy halted the deportation to ensure migrants could contest their removal, resulting in an impasse that has left the group in harsh conditions while legal battles continue. The Trump administration has filed an emergency petition with the Supreme Court to lift the judge's restrictions, calling the imposed due process procedures onerous. ICE officials warn that their personnel lack the capacity to provide constant surveillance and adequate care, and detainees have highly limited access to basic hygiene facilities, exacerbating the already dire conditions.