US appeals court rejects Trump policy allowing swift deportations to third countries

A federal appeals court in Boston has overturned a Trump administration policy allowing rapid deportations of migrants to third countries without proper due process. The 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Department of Homeland Security's policy was unlawful, largely upholding a February decision by a lower-court judge.

The policy, implemented in March 2025, allowed for the deportation of more than 25,000 migrants to at least 29 third countries, often Mexico, despite lack of notice or the opportunity for migrants to challenge the decision. The court emphasized that migrants have the right to meaningful notice and the chance to raise concerns about being deported to unfamiliar and potentially dangerous countries.

The Trump administration had previously sought Supreme Court intervention in the case, but the appeals court's decision suggests the policy may now be halted.