Nearly Dozen ICE Agents, Eight Deportees Stranded in Djibouti Amid Legal Blockade

Nearly a dozen ICE officers and eight deportees convicted of serious crimes have been stranded for over two weeks at the U.S. Naval Base Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti following a federal judge's order blocking their deportation flight to South Sudan. The detainees and ICE personnel face dire conditions, including extreme heat exceeding 100 degrees, exposure to toxic smoke from nearby burn pits, limited medical supplies, and the threat of rocket attacks from militants in Yemen. The Trump administration rerouted the group to Djibouti after the judge ruled that deporting migrants to countries where they are not citizens without proper humanitarian screening violated due process rights. ICE officials report inadequate security equipment, illness among detainees and staff, and difficulties maintaining custody and care, while the judge's order has been criticized for endangering ICE agents and complicating base operations. Defense attorneys argue the detainees' health and legal rights are at risk, emphasizing the government's failure to comply with legal standards for deportations. This standoff highlights the complex challenges between judicial rulings, immigration enforcement policies, and operational realities overseas.