The Supreme Court of the United States has cleared the way for the Trump administration to deport a group of immigrants currently being held at a U.S. military base in Djibouti to South Sudan. In a brief unsigned opinion issued Friday, the justices confirmed that an earlier ruling—which paused a lower court’s restrictions on deportations to so-called “third countries”—applies fully to the eight individuals in custody.

The dispute stems from a decision by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, who ruled that the government could not deport migrants to countries not listed in their removal orders without first ensuring safeguards against torture or persecution. Murphy later found that the administration violated his order by attempting to send the eight men to South Sudan, a country the U.S. State Department warns against visiting due to crime and armed conflict.

Instead of completing the deportation, the plane carrying the migrants was diverted to Djibouti, where the men have remained detained on a U.S. military base. The administration then asked the Supreme Court to intervene, arguing that Murphy’s requirements were interfering with immigration enforcement and foreign policy operations.

In siding with the administration, the court’s majority clarified that its earlier decision effectively blocked Murphy’s injunction, meaning his later ruling could not be enforced. However, the decision exposed divisions among the justices. Liberal justices, including Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, strongly dissented, warning that the migrants could face torture or worse if deported.

Justice Elena Kagan, while previously critical of allowing third-country removals, ultimately agreed with the majority on procedural grounds. The case highlights ongoing legal tensions over immigration enforcement and the limits of executive authority.