US judge blocks Libya deportations without court chance

Washington: A federal judge has said the Trump administration cannot deport migrants to Libya unless they have a meaningful chance to challenge their removal in court.

The order from US District Judge Brian E Murphy in Massachusetts came on Wednesday after attorneys said immigration authorities informed migrants of plans to deport them to Libya, a country with a history of human rights violations.

Murphy previously found that any migrants deported to countries other than their homelands must first be allowed to argue that it would jeopardise their safety.

He said that any “allegedly imminent” removals would “clearly violate this Court’s Order”.