The deportations, carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), include individuals convicted of serious violent and sexual offenses. Among them is Dian Peter Domach, a South Sudanese national who was flown to Juba on May 8, 2024, following convictions in the United States.
List of Deportees and Criminal Convictions
- Dian Peter Domach – South Sudan
- Convicted of robbery and possession of a firearm (8-year sentence)
- Convicted of possession of burglar’s tools and a defaced firearm (18 months)
- Arrested by ICE: May 8, 2024
- Kyaw Mya – Burma (Myanmar)
- Convicted of lascivious acts with a child under 12 years (10-year sentence, paroled after 4 years)
- Arrested: February 18, 2025
- Nyo Myint – Burma (Myanmar)
- Convicted of first-degree sexual assault of an incapacitated victim (12 years)
- Also charged with aggravated assault
- Arrested: February 19, 2025
- Tuan Thanh Phan – Vietnam
- Convicted of first-degree murder and second-degree assault (22 years)
- Arrested: May 3, 2025
Legal and Human Rights Backlash
Controversy has erupted over the legality of some of the deportations, particularly involving the non-African nationals who, according to immigration lawyers, were wrongfully sent to South Sudan — a country they do not originate from. Legal representatives argue that the deportees were denied a fair opportunity to present claims of fear of persecution, raising potential violations of U.S. and international asylum law.
A U.S. federal judge has since issued an emergency injunction, ordering a halt to any further deportations to South Sudan and similar third countries until legal reviews are concluded.
Impact on South Sudan
The arrival of individuals convicted of heinous crimes has prompted concern within South Sudan, where law enforcement and the justice system are already stretched. Civil society groups have called on the transitional government to immediately investigate the legal status of these deportees, especially those who are not South Sudanese by nationality.
The South Sudanese government has not yet officially responded to the arrival of the deportees or the legal complexities surrounding their removal from the United States.
Immigration advocates warn that the U.S. may be setting a dangerous precedent by relocating foreign nationals to countries where they have no ties, potentially exporting risk and instability to fragile nations.
