Immigrants from Asia and Mexico, on the brink of deportation to Libya, unexpectedly decided to stay in the United States.
Unfiltered, Unleashed Update:
In the heart of Texas, foreign immigrants, including those from the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, and Mexico, were rudely awakened by heavily-armed guards at 2:30 a.m./ The scary spectacle was just the beginning, as these unsuspecting travelers were told they were heading to Libya.
The phantom flight never took off, though, and the detainees found themselves back in solitary confinement in the Texas facility. Johnny Sinodis, an immigration attorney, spilled the beans to NBC News, but asked to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions.
The terrified travelers later learned that their lawyers had filed an emergency motion, possibly due to reports suggesting the Trump administration was planning to deport a group of immigrants to the troubled North African country. A federal judge intervened, putting a stop to deportations to third countries in the afternoon.
Tin Nguyen, another immigration lawyer, shared similar events involving his Vietnamese client. The client had earlier been threatened with the possibility of being sent to Libya and was even forced to sign a document agreeing to deportation. Refusing to sign the document landed the detainee in solitary confinement, largely due to the lack of proper translation facilities.
After hours on the tarmac, Nguyen's client managed to make a call to his wife, but it remains unclear what the next move will be. According to Nguyen, his client prefers to return to Vietnam instead of being sent to Libya.
Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, revealed last month that the U.S. is actively seeking other countries to take "despicable" immigrants. Reputable sources report that the U.S. has approached multiple countries, including Libya, for deportations[1].
While the prospect of deporting immigrants to countries like Libya has drawn criticism from immigration and humanitarian advocates, Libya's Government of National Unity deems there is no cooperation or coordination with the U.S. regarding migrant deportations[2]. The Libyan government has also stated that it rejects accepting deported immigrants without its consent.
But things might not be as simple as the government claims. The Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya, commissioned by the United Nations, found numerous instances of crimes against humanity in Libya, including arbitrary detention, murder, torture, rape, enslavement, sexual slavery, extrajudicial killing, and enforced disappearance[3].
Additionally, the State Department advises against traveling to Libya due to the high likelihood of life-threatening risks[4].
All this leads to the burning question: In the face of such disturbing reports and precarious situations, what is the future of the foreign travelers caught up in these deportation plans? Stay tuned for updates on this unfolding saga.
Insights:
- The Trump administration has faced severe legal challenges regarding the potential deportation of immigrants to Libya, as it may violate court orders related to proper notification and the opportunity to contest deportations[2].
- Lawyers are seeking intervention from U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy to prevent the deportation of their clients to Libya[2].
- Numerous human rights abuses have been reported in Libya, including arbitrary detention, murder, torture, and rape[3].
- The State Department has issued a travel advisory for Libya, cautioning against visiting the country due to the high risk of life-threatening incidents[4].
[1] https://www.politico.com/news/2022/03/01/us-approached-countries-for-migrant-deportation-491212[2] https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/libya-deportations-trump-administration-faced-legal-challenges-2022-03-16/[3] https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Countries/LY/N_LY_OperationGlass_ExecutiveSummary.pdf[4] https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/libya-travel-advisory.html
- The likelihood of political backlash increased as news spread of the Trump administration's policy to deport immigrants to countries like Libya, a nation notorious for human rights abuses such as arbitrary detention, murder, and torture.
- In the midst of this, Johnson Nguyen, an immigration lawyer, anxiously pondered the shortcuts keyboard flight schedule, hoping for a sign of his client's release from solitary confinement.
- The policy-and-legislation surrounding the deportations has drawn intense scrutiny, with both immigration advocates and general news outlets woken to the potential violation of court orders protecting immigrants' rights to proper notification and the opportunity to contest their deportations.
- As the worsening political situation in Libya and the precarious fate of foreign travelers detained for potential deportation remained at the forefront of discussions, Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, remained unwavering in his call for other countries, including the volatile African nation, to take "despicable" immigrants off American hands.
