A federal district court judge ruled on Wednesday that the Trump administration committed a violation of court order by proceeding with the deportation of a group of migrants to South Sudan earlier in the week.

U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, who was appointed by President Biden, stated that the deportation flight contravened his previous ruling requiring the government to provide sufficient notice before deporting migrants to countries with which they have no affiliations.

Judge Murphy characterized the flight as an unequivocal breach of his injunction issued last month, although he refrained from determining whether the action constituted criminal contempt.

The ruling followed urgent appeals from immigration attorneys who alerted the court about the flight to South Sudan.

In response to the situation, the judge mandated that immigration officials retain the migrants in U.S. custody while he deliberated on the implications of the flight.

During the court proceedings, Justice Department attorney Elianis Perez mentioned that while the plane had already landed, the migrants remained onboard under the supervision of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

Concerns about public safety were voiced in court.

Perez indicated that five of the migrants had been convicted of murder and two had convictions for sexual offenses.

"There are very serious operational and safety concerns for the ICE agents," she stated.

The attorney requested the court to consider these issues if any relief was granted.

Attorneys representing the migrants urged the court to order their return to the United States and to stipulate a 30-day notice requirement for any future deportations.

Judge Murphy acknowledged his intention to draft the most precise remedy possible, underscoring the importance of balancing judicial authority with executive powers relating to national security.

The Justice Department was directed to submit any suggestions by the end of the day concerning the appropriate lines the court should take.

In conjunction with the proceedings, the Department of Homeland Security disclosed the identities of the eight migrants onboard, along with their serious criminal backgrounds.

Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, criticized the judicial intervention, asserting that the department was acting in the interest of public safety by removing convicted criminals from American soil.

She described the judge as an activist attempting to protect individuals that she characterized as posing ongoing risks to U.S. citizens.

The legal dispute arises from an earlier ruling by Judge Murphy that stipulated the necessity for the Trump administration to ensure due process for migrants prior to their deportation to countries other than the one specified in their deportation order.

The lawsuit was initiated by attorneys from the National Immigration Litigation Alliance, the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, and Human Rights First.

According to Murphy’s ruling, immigration authorities are required to provide written notice to noncitizens and their representatives in a language they can understand, and to afford them a meaningful opportunity to raise claims pertaining to potential persecution or torture in the destination country.

During Wednesday’s hearing, the Justice Department contended they had complied with the order, emphasizing that a specific notice time frame was not outlined by the court.

Judge Murphy contested this characterization, remarking that the migrants had received only a few hours of notice prior to their deployment to the airport.