DOMINANT ANGLE
Paris is deciphering an emergency decision from the Supreme Court: deportations to third countries are resuming, and the core of the case is being referred to December.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
The Supreme Court lifted limits on expulsions to third countries on Tuesday, September 29, contrary to the opinion of its three progressive judges, and will review the matter in December.
- 02
Boston Judge Brian Murphy had ruled the guidelines "illegal" in February; an appeals court confirmed this on September 18.
- 03
According to RFI, more than 25,000 people have been expelled to third countries since January 2025; UN experts denounce "a cascade of human rights violations".
ANALYSIS
Paris, September 30, 2026. The French press presents the Supreme Court's decision as an emergency ruling, made before any in-depth examination. On Tuesday, September 29, the conservative-majority court lifted "until further notice" the limits on deporting undocumented immigrants to third countries, write Le Monde and HuffPost France. It granted a petition from the Trump administration, contrary to the opinion of the three progressive judges out of nine.
The newspapers recall the timeline. In February, Boston Judge Brian Murphy had ruled that the directives issued in 2025 by the Department of Homeland Security were "illegal". He believed that the individuals concerned should be able to invoke the risk of being persecuted or tortured in those countries. An appeals court had confirmed his decision on September 18, before the emergency appeal to the Supreme Court. The latter will examine the case in December, particularly regarding the legality of these directives.
Le Monde and HuffPost give extensive coverage to the government's argument. Its legal advisor, John Sauer, cited "substantial logistical problems": the initial ruling would have forced the cancellation of a flight to three countries carrying 70 foreigners with criminal convictions. He defended these deportations as an "essential tool". The opposing side responded that the suspension "would not prevent deportations to third countries", but would require them to be carried out legally.
France 24 specifies, in its English version, that the Court suspended guarantees that required notifying individuals of their destination country and giving them time to express fears of persecution. The media also recalls that Donald Trump campaigned on the expulsion of millions of undocumented immigrants. Le Monde mentions a deportation to South Sudan in its report.
RFI places the decision in a broader context, that of human rights. According to the radio, the administration has deported over 25,000 people to "third countries" since January 2025, often without any connection to them. UN experts denounce "a cascade of human rights violations" and evoke risks of torture, slavery, or forced disappearance. They recall the principle of non-refoulement and point to the responsibility of the host countries as well as the International Organization for Migration, which the latter contests by invoking its mandate.
SOURCES (4)
- HuffPost FranceMEDIUM
