Judge warns Trump 'would clearly violate' court order with plan to ship migrants to Libya

U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy clarified this week that President Donald Trump's administration "would clearly violate" his order if it follows through with a reported plan to send migrants to Libya.

U.S. officials confirmed to multiple outlets that migrants without legal status were on track to be deported to the war-torn country. According to CNN, flight plans were scheduled for Wednesday.

In an emergency motion on Wednesday, plaintiffs asked Murphy for a restraining order preventing the flights from taking place.

"The Court agrees with Plaintiffs that this motion should not be required," the judge wrote in an afternoon ruling, "as the relief sought is already provided by the Preliminary Injunction entered in this case."

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"The April 18, 2025 Preliminary Injunction requires all third-country removals to be preceded, inter alia, by written notice to both the non-citizen and the non-citizen's counsel in a language the non-citizen can understand as well as a meaningful opportunity for the non-citizen to raise a fear-based claim for CAT protection," Murphy explained.

"If there is any doubt—the Court sees none—the allegedly imminent removals, as reported by news agencies and as Plaintiffs seek to corroborate with class-member accounts and public information, would clearly violate this Court's Order."

For his part, Trump has claimed not to know the plan to deport migrants to Libya.