Judicial Showdown: Trump’s DOJ Battles Biden-Appointed Judge Over Deportation Orders
In a dramatic turn of events, the Department of Justice under Donald Trump has vigorously responded after a Biden-appointed judge threw a wrench into the gears of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling. Judge Brian Murphy has insisted that his order preventing the deportation of undocumented immigrants to South Sudan remains valid, much to the chagrin of the Trump administration.
On Monday evening, Judge Murphy asserted that the eight undocumented individuals currently in Djibouti must remain there, effectively defying the Supreme Court’s authority. This ruling came on the heels of a significant 6-3 decision from the Supreme Court, which granted the Trump administration the green light to resume deportations to “third-party” countries.
The Supreme Court had approved an emergency application from the Trump administration, temporarily suspending Judge Murphy’s injunction that had halted these deportations. Notably, the dissenting voices on the bench included Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson, who expressed concern over the Court’s intervention.
Justice Sotomayor, in her dissent, criticized the majority for undermining the careful deliberation of lower courts, stating, “Rather than allowing our lower court colleagues to manage this high-stakes litigation with the care and attention it plainly requires, this Court now intervenes to grant the Government emergency relief from an order it has repeatedly defied. I cannot join so gross an abuse of the Court’s equitable discretion.”
Defying the Supreme Court’s mandate, Judge Murphy reiterated on Monday evening that his original order remains in effect. “The Court’s May 21, 2025 Order on Remedy remains in full force and effect, notwithstanding today’s stay of the Preliminary Injunction,” Murphy stated.
In a swift response on Tuesday morning, Solicitor General John Sauer urged the Supreme Court to clarify its ruling, labeling the district court’s defiance as “lawless” and detrimental to diplomatic relations. He emphasized that the executive branch has been hamstrung by an injunction now deemed unenforceable and called for immediate clarification to prevent further harm to national interests. “This Court should immediately make clear that the district court’s enforcement order has no effect, and put a swift end to the ongoing irreparable harm to the Executive Branch and its agents,” Sauer remarked, stressing the chaotic implications of housing dangerous individuals at a military base in a region fraught with conflict.
NEW: The Trump administration asks the Supreme Court to clarify is unexplained ruling that allows the government to send noncitizens to countries where they have no prior ties (third-country removals) without notice or a chance to challenge the decision. https://t.co/o0OTDebnzf pic.twitter.com/QqOCCBTASE
— Katie Buehler (@bykatiebuehler) June 24, 2025
