Details on the Eight Men Deported from the USA to South Sudan in 2025
Deportation of Eight Men to South Sudan
On July 5, 2025, eight men were deported from the United States to South Sudan following a prolonged legal battle. The men, immigrants from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Vietnam, and one from South Sudan, were held in a converted shipping container at a U.S. military base in Djibouti from late May 2025 until their deportation. The deportation followed a U.S. Supreme Court decision on July 3, 2025, which lifted an injunction by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, allowing the Trump administration to proceed with the removal.
Details of the Deportees
The eight men were convicted of serious crimes in the United States, including murder, robbery, sexual assault, possession of a deadly weapon, assault by a confined person, and driving under the influence. Their home countries refused to accept them, leading to their deportation to South Sudan, a third country, under the authority of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which permits deportations to countries willing to accept individuals when their home countries decline repatriation.
Identified Individuals
Dian Peter Domach (South Sudan):
Age: 33 (as of May 2025).
Convictions:
2013, Nebraska: Robbery (sentenced to 8–14 years).
2013, Nebraska: Possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person (sentenced to 6–10 years, served consecutively).
While incarcerated: Assault by a confined person (sentenced to 18–20 months).
Driving under the influence.
Background: Released on discretionary parole from Nebraska Department of Correctional Services on May 2, 2025, and arrested by immigration authorities on May 8, 2025. Represented himself in his appeal and recent prison assault case.
Thongxay Nilakout (Laos):
Age: 48 (as of May 2025).
Conviction: 1994, first-degree murder for shooting and killing a German tourist at age 17 (sentenced to life).
Background: His case drew attention from the victim’s daughter, who noted the crime’s severity but raised concerns about the deportation process.
Kyaw Mya (Myanmar):
Conviction: Lascivious acts with a child under 12 years of age.
Background: No additional personal details available.
Nyo Myint (Myanmar):
Conviction: First-degree sexual assault involving a victim mentally and physically incapable of resisting.
Background: Limited English proficiency; member of an ethnic minority in Myanmar, facing persecution risks if returned there.
5–8. Unnamed Individuals (Cuba, Cuba, Mexico, Vietnam):
Convictions: Include murder, robbery, and sexual assault, though specific charges per individual are not detailed.
Background: No specific names or personal details released.
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| Handling deportees in Africa |
Legal and Policy Context
The U.S. Supreme Court issued rulings on June 23, 2025, and July 3, 2025 (7-2 decision), affirming the Trump administration’s authority to deport non-citizens to third countries, including those outside their countries of origin. These rulings overturned injunctions by Judge Brian Murphy, who had initially blocked the deportation in May 2025, citing insufficient notice and potential risks to the men’s safety.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described the deportation as a “win for the rule of law, safety, and security of the American people,” emphasizing the men’s criminal convictions. A DHS press release on May 21, 2025, included a 70-page document detailing their criminal records and publicized their photos and names. A Justice Department lawyer stated that South Sudan offered the men temporary immigration status upon arrival.
Conditions in South Sudan
The men arrived in Juba, South Sudan, on July 5, 2025, at 6:00 AM local time (04:00 GMT). South Sudan, independent since 2011, faces significant challenges:
Political Instability: Tensions between government forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and opposition groups, including militias tied to Vice-President Riek Machar (under house arrest since March 2025), raise concerns of renewed civil war.
Security Risks: The U.S. State Department’s travel advisory warns against travel due to crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict, citing risks of violent crime and political instability.
Humanitarian Challenges: Approximately 82.3% of the population lives in poverty, with over 60% facing food insecurity. Flooding displaced 380,000 people in 2024, and access to healthcare, clean water, and sanitation is limited.
Economic Conditions: The economy, reliant on oil exports, is disrupted by conflict in neighboring Sudan, limiting employment opportunities.
South Sudan’s police spokesperson, Major General James Monday Enoka, stated that non-South Sudanese deportees would be investigated and potentially “re-deported” to their home countries, though the feasibility is unclear given prior refusals by those countries.
Concerns Raised
Lawyers and immigrant rights advocates argued that the deportation could expose the men to risks in South Sudan, including detention, torture, or death, due to the country’s documented human rights abuses (e.g., extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances). The men’s lack of cultural, linguistic, or familial ties to South Sudan, combined with their arrival without resources, may hinder their ability to secure food, shelter, or employment. The U.S. State Department’s travel advisory notes similar risks for American citizens, highlighting ongoing conflict and human rights concerns.
Current Status on the Eight Men Deported from the USA to South Sudan in 2025
No updates are available on the men’s status after their arrival in South Sudan on July 5, 2025. The U.S. government claimed South Sudan provided diplomatic assurances against torture, but details of these assurances were not disclosed. The Trump administration’s immigration policies, upheld by Supreme Court rulings, led to the deportation of eight men detained in a shipping container to South Sudan, a conflict zone with significant human rights concerns. This case may not be the last of its kind.
