The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to restart deportations of migrants to third countries — nations other than the migrants' countries of origin.

The decision reverses, for now, the practical effect of a lower-court block that had paused the practice. With the Supreme Court's ruling in place, ICE may again pursue removals of noncitizens to destinations they are not from, rather than only to their home countries.

The case reached the Supreme Court after a federal judge had ordered the government to stop carrying out such removals while litigation over the practice continued. The Supreme Court's action means the government may proceed while the underlying legal questions remain unresolved in the courts below.

For affected noncitizens, the change is significant. A person facing removal can now once again be sent to a third country rather than the country of their nationality. The immediate consequence is procedural: the lower court's bar on such removals no longer prevents ICE from acting.

The litigation itself is not over. Lower courts will continue to examine the legality of third-country removals, and future rulings could again restrict or reshape the practice. Migrants currently in removal proceedings should verify their case status and any applicable legal protections through official channels and qualified representatives.

The Supreme Court's order did not resolve the merits of the dispute. It restored the government's ability to carry out third-country removals while the case proceeds, leaving the broader legal questions open.

Readers can follow developments on the Supreme Court's docket and through official Department of Homeland Security and ICE announcements for the most current guidance on removal policy.