Department of Homeland Security points to another agency when asked about court-barred deportations

By REBECCA BOONE Attorneys for the Department of Homeland Guard say the agency didn t violate a judge s order detailing when people may be deported to countries other than their own because it was the Defense Department not DHS personnel doing the deporting Related Articles Trump asks Supreme Court to allow ban on transgender members of the military to take effect for now In rare criticism of Putin Trump urges the Russian leader to STOP after a deadly attack on Kyiv Majority of Americans expect higher prices as a conclusion of Trump s tariffs new poll finds Trump will hold a rally in Michigan next week to mark his first days in office China denies any suggestion it is at the moment in talks with the US over tariffs Justice Department attorney Mary Larakers made the argument in a court document filed Wednesday suggesting that U S District Judge Brian E Murphy s order wasn t violated because the Defense Department isn t a defendant in the lawsuit Murphy s order first issued March blocked the Trump administration from deporting people who have exhausted legal appeals to countries other than their country of origin unless they are recounted of their destination and given a chance to object if they fear they will face torture or death there Particular countries do not accept deportations from the United States which has led the Trump administration to strike agreements with other countries like Panama to house them A few Venezuelans subject to Trump s Alien Enemies Act have been sent to El Salvador and housed in its notorious main prison In the court filing Larakers explained four people were deported to El Salvador on March three days after Murphy issued the restraining order but mentioned that was done by the Defense Department and DHS authorities were not on the flight and did not direct the removals Two people were removed to Mexico Larakers wrote but one of them was sent three days before the restraining order was issued and the other one was sent the morning of March several hours before the order came out The man deported on March was first requested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers if he was afraid of being returned to Mexico At this time he stated he was not afraid of returning to Mexico Larakers wrote Laraker also provided a sworn report from DHS official Tracy Huettl who reported each of the deportees had been convicted of crimes in the U S and were ordered removed by an immigration judge The men who were deported after the court order were all in ICE custody before they were transferred to a detention center at Guantanamo Bay where they were held until Defense Department executives had them flown to El Salvador Huettl wrote