Trump's Deportation Flights Get Supreme Court Greenlight: DHS Says 'Fire Up The…Planes' Amid ICE Budget Crisis, Nationwide Protests

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday eliminated judicial restrictions on the Trump administration’s controversial third-country deportation program, allowing the government to resume sending migrants to nations other than their home countries without mandatory due process hearings.

What Happened: The unsigned 6-3 decision marks a significant legal victory for President Donald Trump‘s mass deportation initiative, which has already strained federal budgets and impacted labor-intensive sectors, Reuters reported.

The court lifted Boston-based U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy’s April 18 order that required migrants facing third-country deportation receive a “meaningful opportunity” to demonstrate potential torture risks at their destination.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by liberal justices, called the majority decision a “gross abuse” of judicial power, warning that “thousands will suffer violence in far-flung locales.”

The ruling comes as Immigration and Customs Enforcement faces a $1 billion budget shortfall with three months remaining in the fiscal year, according to recent reports. ICE’s current arrest quota of 3,000 daily immigrants, up from 1,000 under previous guidance, has pushed detention facilities beyond their 41,000-bed capacity.

The Department of Homeland Security has reallocated nearly $500 million to immigration operations but requires an additional $2 billion by September to avoid violating federal spending laws.

Why It Matters: Recent ICE workplace raids have targeted labor-intensive sectors including agriculture, hospitality and retail operations. Home Depot Inc. stores faced enforcement actions in California, while the administration reversed guidance that had temporarily paused raids on farms, hotels and restaurants.

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said the court’s decision “reaffirms the president’s authority to remove criminal illegal aliens” and advance public safety objectives. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin responded with “Fire up the deportation planes.”

Immigration enforcement has prompted widespread protests across Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle, leading to the deployment of over 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to California. This marks the first federal National Guard activation without gubernatorial consent since 1965.

Read Next: