ICE may deport migrants to countries other than their own with just six hours notice, memo says [View all]

Source: Reuters

July 13, 2025 3:33 PM EDT Updated 2 hours ago


BOSTON, July 13 (Reuters) - U.S. immigration officials may deport migrants to countries other than their home nations with as little as six hours' notice, a top Trump administration official said in a memo, offering a preview of how deportations could ramp up.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will generally wait at least 24 hours to deport someone after informing them of their removal to a so-called "third country," according to a memo dated Wednesday, July 9, from the agency's acting director, Todd Lyons.

ICE could remove them, however, to a so-called "third country" with as little as six hours' notice "in exigent circumstances," said the memo, as long as the person has been provided the chance to speak with an attorney. The memo states that migrants could be sent to nations that have pledged not to persecute or torture them "without the need for further procedures."

The new ICE policy suggests President Donald Trump's administration could move quickly to send migrants to countries around the world. The Supreme Court in June lifted a lower court's order limiting such deportations without a screening for fear of persecution in the destination country.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ice-may-deport-migrants-countries-other-than-their-own-with-just-six-hours-2025-07-13/