The Supreme Court has cleared the path for the Trump administration to deport a group of immigrants held at a U.S. military base in Djibouti to South Sudan.
In a brief opinion issued on Friday, the justices affirmed that their prior order, which stayed a federal judge’s ruling in Massachusetts that had restricted the government’s ability to deport immigrants to countries not explicitly named in their removal orders, applies in full to the eight immigrants currently in U.S. custody in Djibouti.
The order came less than two weeks after the high court temporarily stayed a ruling by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, whose order barred the federal government from deporting immigrants to “third countries”—those not explicitly named in their removal orders—without first ensuring, through a series of safeguards, that the individuals would not face torture upon deportation.
Murphy’s May 21 ruling found that the government violated his April 18 order by attempting to deport eight men to South Sudan. The U.S. has evacuated all non-emergency personnel from South Sudan, and the State Department advises against travel there due to “crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict.”
The flight carrying the immigrants bound for South Sudan instead landed in nearby Djibouti, where the men have since been held at a U.S. military base.
On May 27, the Trump administration appealed to the Supreme Court to stay Murphy’s April 18 order, seeking permission to proceed with “third country” removals while the legal battle over the practice unfolds.
U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer contended that Murphy’s “judicially created procedures are currently wreaking havoc on the third-country removal process” and “disrupt[ing] sensitive diplomatic, foreign policy, and national-security efforts.”
Lawyers representing the immigrants facing potential third-country removals urged the justices to uphold Murphy’s order. They emphasized that the government could still proceed with these deportations, but Murphy’s order “simply requires” the Trump administration “to comply with the law” in doing so.
Several hours after the Supreme Court responded to the Trump administration’s first request, made on June 23, Murphy then claimed that his May 21 order remained unaffected by the high court’s decision.
The Trump administration returned to the Supreme Court the following day, requesting that the justices clarify the federal government’s authority to proceed with deporting the immigrants currently held in Djibouti. Sauer urged the court to act swiftly to address what he called Murphy’s “unprecedented defiance” of the court’s authority.
In Thursday’s brief, an unsigned 7-2 opinion, the majority indicated that the court’s “June 23 order stayed the April 18 preliminary injunction in full. The May 21 remedial order cannot now be used to enforce an injunction that our stay rendered unenforceable.”
Two of the Supreme Court’s liberals, Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented, while the third liberal, Justice Elena Kagan, sided with the court’s conservative majority.
She noted that she had previously disagreed with the Supreme Court’s original ruling permitting third-country removals to proceed. “But a majority of this court saw things differently, and I do not see how a district court can compel compliance with an order that this court has stayed,” she wrote.
The eight illegal immigrants include individuals from Cuba, Vietnam, and Laos, reports noted.
Sotomayor’s dissent contended that “[w]hat the Government wants to do, concretely, is send the eight noncitizens it illegally removed from the United States from Djibouti to South Sudan, where they will be turned over to the local authorities without regard for the likelihood that they will face torture or death.”
She argued that the court should not have considered the government’s request at all, as the government should have made its arguments in the lower courts first. Moreover, she suggested that the Supreme Court’s “continued refusal to justify its extraordinary decisions in this case, even as it faults lower courts for failing to properly divine their import, is indefensible.”
Senator John Kennedy is once again cutting through Washington’s theatrics with brutal honesty.
The Louisiana Republican accused Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of staging political drama instead of doing his job to reopen the government.
In an interview with Fox Business host Larry Kudlow, Kennedy described the shutdown as a “political performance,” not a genuine policy disagreement.
He said Schumer is more concerned with keeping up appearances for his party’s radical wing than with serving the American people.
“It will end eventually,” Kennedy said, “when Senator Schumer goes to six or eight of his members and Democrats and says, ‘Do me a favor. Vote to open it back up. I may have to criticize you. I’m not going to vote with you, but I need a way out of this.’”
Kennedy made clear that Schumer’s priority isn’t compromise — it’s saving face.
“He’s gonna tell ‘em, ‘Now, look, I gotta vote no. And I gotta dogcuss you a little bit. We gotta have some play acting and make this look good. And then we come out of the shutdown,’” Kennedy said, describing how Schumer will secretly orchestrate the outcome he publicly opposes.
According to Kennedy, the government shutdown is less about real disagreements and more about political optics. Schumer, he said, is acting out a script to appease the far-left members of his caucus — what Kennedy calls the “moon wing” of the Democratic Party.
“I know him. Well, this shutdown is not about policy. It’s about politics,” Kennedy said.
“And Senator Schumer, this is what’s going on. He is trying to get the moon wing, the socialist wing of the Democratic Party, which is in control, to love him. And they will never love him.”
That blunt assessment paints a damning picture of the Democratic leadership. Schumer, Kennedy argues, is beholden to extremists who refuse to compromise, even at the expense of the country.
The Louisiana senator said Schumer’s strategy is simple: keep the government closed until Republicans and President Trump agree to hand over billions in new spending — spending that Democrats will control. “What he’s saying,” Kennedy explained, “is we’re going to keep government shut down until you Republicans and President Trump give the Democrats $1.5 trillion, and they’re going to tell us how to spend it.”
Kennedy ridiculed the idea that Schumer is fighting for “the people.” In his view, Schumer is fighting for power, money, and media attention — and the shutdown is just another stage for him to perform on.
“He’s boning if it looks contrived,” Kennedy warned. “He can’t look like he’s having a mutiny.” That’s why, Kennedy says, Schumer must choreograph his next steps carefully, pretending to fight while quietly coordinating votes behind the scenes.
Kennedy’s description of this “play acting” matches what many Americans have long suspected: that the partisan battles on the Senate floor are largely theater designed to manipulate the public.
Schumer, Kennedy said, is obsessed with being seen as strong by the socialist faction of his party — even though that same faction will never accept him. “He’d be better off doing what he did back in March and just calling it like he saw it and keeping government open,” Kennedy added.
The senator’s comments came after Schumer led most Democrats in voting down the Republicans’ spending bill earlier in the week, prolonging the shutdown. Kennedy said that move was pure political posturing.
“Schumer knows exactly what he’s doing,” Kennedy said. “He’s trying to look tough for his base while still leaving himself a backdoor exit.”
Kennedy argued that Schumer is being held hostage by his own party’s extremists — the same people who demand funding for what Kennedy called “wasteful foreign projects” and ideological programs.
The Louisiana senator said Democrats are fighting to reinstate spending for overseas LGBTQ initiatives, electric buses in Rwanda, Palestinian media operations, and sterilization programs abroad — all things Republicans already removed from the budget.
“He’s not fighting for the American taxpayer,” Kennedy said. “He’s fighting for his image and for foreign projects nobody asked for.”
On what should have been the happiest day of my life, my mother-in-law decided to take something that wasn’t hers. Sharon claimed she was “keeping the wedding card box safe,” but the next morning at brunch, she stunned us by announcing she had counted the money, taken some for relatives, and would hold the rest “until we were responsible enough” to use it. I felt humiliated, not just by her control, but by the way she smiled at me like I was a child who couldn’t be trusted.
Grant, my husband, didn’t stay silent. For once, he stood up to her, demanding she return what was ours. But Sharon made a scene, calling us greedy in front of family. In that moment, I realized her need for control wasn’t about protecting us—it was about power. That money symbolized the future we were building together, and she wanted to hold the strings.
So, we flipped the script. Grant told her calmly that without that money, we couldn’t afford to start our family. Suddenly, her desire to be a grandmother outweighed her stubbornness. Within days, she showed up at our door with the full amount, defensive but defeated. We deposited it immediately, labeling it our Baby Fund—not for her, not for anyone else, but for us.
What Sharon never understood is that her interference didn’t protect us—it strengthened us. She reminded us that boundaries matter, even with family, and that loyalty to each other must come first. Marriage isn’t about letting others dictate your future. It’s about choosing, again and again, to build it together on your own terms.
My husband and I wanted to give our mothers a warm, memorable dinner at a fancy restaurant for Mother’s Day. I expected gratitude. Instead, my mother-in-law brought a crowd of strangers, turning the intimate dinner into a family banquet… and handed me the bill.
Some days I wonder if “working mom” is just code for “human ATM with a side of free childcare.” I’m Sherin, 32, mother of two tornado-like children, and apparently the designated financier of other people’s extravagant whims. Let me tell you what happened last Sunday… on Mother’s Day.
A Mother’s Day card beside a ceramic cup | Source: Pexels
“Are you sure we can afford Bellini’s?” Lucas asked, loosening his tie as he scrolled through our joint account on his phone. “The appetizers alone cost more than our grocery budget for the week.”
I smoothed down my rarely worn dress, the one I’d frantically ironed after getting the kids to bed. “It’s Mother’s Day, Lucas! For once, I want to do something nice for our moms without counting pennies.”
My husband’s worried expression softened. He knew what I meant. Between my 60-hour work weeks, his contract job with unpredictable hours, and two kids under seven, moments of genuine appreciation were as rare as uninterrupted sleep.
A deluxe restaurant | Source: Unsplash
“Besides,” I added, “that promotion means we can splurge a little. Four people at a nice restaurant won’t break us.”
Lucas kissed my forehead, his familiar scent of aftershave momentarily drowning out my anxiety. “You’re right. They deserve it. Especially your mom, after everything she’s done for us with the kids.”
My mom, Daisy, had been our lifeline since Ethan was born. Even when exhausted from her own job, she’d show up with homemade casseroles and endless patience.
Meanwhile, Charlize—my husband’s mother—contributed mainly opinions and thinly veiled criticisms of my parenting.
An elegant older woman holding a cup of coffee | Source: Pexels
But today wasn’t about scorekeeping. It was about gratitude.
“Let’s just make them both feel special,” I said, checking my lipstick one last time before heading out.
Little did I know what “special” would actually cost me.
***
The valet took our car as we stepped into Bellini’s, the fanciest restaurant in town. Crystal chandeliers cast warm light over white tablecloths, and the soft clink of expensive silverware filled the air.
“I reserved under Chen,” I told the hostess, whose practiced smile never reached her eyes.
“Of course. Some of your party has already arrived.”
“Some?” I exchanged glances with Lucas as we followed her through the dining room.
Grayscale shot of a shocked woman | Source: Pexels
Then I saw them—not just our mothers, but an entire section of the restaurant that had been pushed together into one long table. Charlize sat at the center like a queen holding court, surrounded by her sisters, their adult children, three of her bridge club friends, and someone I barely recognized bouncing a fussy baby on her knee.
My heart sank to my stomach, then literally plummeted through the floor.
“What is this?” I whispered to Lucas, who looked equally stunned.
Before he could answer, Charlize spotted us. “There they are!” she called out, her voice carrying across the restaurant. “Our generous hosts!”
A delighted elderly woman wearing sunglasses | Source: Pexels
She rushed over, wine glass in hand, wearing a dress that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe. Her perfume enveloped me as she kissed my cheek with theatrical affection.
“Oh honey, you look tired,” she stage-whispered. Then, with a sweeping gesture toward the crowd: “I hope you don’t mind. It’s Mother’s Day, and all these lovely ladies deserve to be celebrated too!”
I stood frozen, doing quick mental math. Ten extra people at Bellini’s? My budget-conscious brain short-circuited.
Lucas cleared his throat. “Mom, we—”
“Lucas! Come sit by Aunt Trish. She hasn’t seen you since Christmas!” Charlize steered him away, leaving me standing alone.
A shaken man | Source: Freepik
Across the chaos, I spotted my mother pushed to the far end of the table. She looked uncomfortable and out of place in her simple dress. When our eyes met, she gave me an apologetic smile that broke my heart.
“Sherin,” someone called. “Come tell everyone about that promotion!”
With leaden feet, I made my way to the only empty chair directly across from the baby who was now gleefully smashing breadsticks into crumbs.
“Another bottle of the Cabernet for this end,” Charlize’s sister Trish called to a passing server. “And more of those truffle things!”
An entitled elderly woman sitting on a chair and looking at someone | Source: Pexels
Two hours into this ambush dinner, my jaw ached from forcing smiles. Lucas tried to intervene when the first unrequested bottle of champagne arrived, but his mother brushed him off with, “Don’t be such a worry-wart! Sherin’s moving up in the world!”
My mom caught my eye from her distant seat. “You okay, honey?” she mouthed.
I nodded, though we both knew it was a lie.
“So then,” continued Charlize, loud enough for nearby tables to hear, “I told my book club, ‘My daughter-in-law is finally getting recognized at that firm! All those late nights away from her children finally paid off!'”
My fingers tightened around my water glass. Every working mother’s favorite guilt trip… served with a side of judgment.
A woman drinking a glass of water | Source: Pexels
“The kids are actually doing great,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. “Mom has been an incredible help, and Lucas—”
“Oh, family pitching in, that’s what we do!” Charlize interrupted. “Speaking of family, let’s toast to mothers everywhere! Especially those of us who managed careers without missing bedtimes.”
The table erupted in cheers while I silently counted backward from 10.
Lucas leaned close, his hand finding mine under the table. “We should wrap this up soon. The bill’s going to be—”
“Dessert menus for everyone!” announced Charlize’s friend, a woman whose name I couldn’t recall but who was now on her fourth glass of wine. “Sherin’s treating!”
A woman examining a menu | Source: Pexels
“Actually,” I started, but a server was already distributing leather-bound menus to eager hands.
“Get whatever you want,” Charlize sang out. “Today’s dinner’s on the company’s newest superstar!”
I hadn’t told her my promotion came with barely enough raise to cover the kids’ increasing childcare costs. But correcting her now in front of this audience felt… impossible.
“I’ll just have coffee,” my mom said, giving me one small mercy.
Dessert plates littered the table like casualties of war. Empty wine bottles stood as monuments to an evening I couldn’t wait to forget. The baby, thankfully, had fallen asleep in a makeshift nest of jackets.
A variety of dessert plates on a table | Source: Pexels
I was calculating how many extra hours I’d need to work to cover this disaster when Charlize dramatically waved her hand at a passing server.
“We’re ready for the check!” she announced. “It goes to the lady in the black dress.”
The server looked at me questioningly. Before I could speak, Charlize continued loudly: “Everyone, say thank you to our little boss lady over here! Promotion must be paying well… she’s treating the whole table tonight!”
A chorus of half-drunk “thank yous” circled the table.
“Wait. You can’t just…” I gasped.
“Oh, don’t be cheap! You’re loaded now, Sherin! Pay up! It’s Mother’s Day!”
A proud older woman sitting on a chair | Source: Pexels
Lucas’s face flushed with anger.
“Mom, that’s not—” he began.
The server placed a leather folder discreetly by my plate. I opened it and nearly choked. $1,250.47.
“Is everything okay, Ma’am?” the server asked.
Charlize leaned forward, her smile tightening at the corners. “Oh honey, don’t look so shocked. It’s just money, and this is family.”
The table fell silent, all eyes on me. Even the couple at the next table had paused their conversation to watch the drama unfold.
A woman shaken to her core | Source: Pexels
Years of biting my tongue settled into one sharp decision and I was done being a doormat.
“You’re absolutely right, Charlize! It is just money. And it is family.”
I removed my credit card from my wallet with deliberate slowness.
“That’s why I’m happy to cover dinner for you and my mom tonight… as we planned.”
Charlize’s smile vanished like smoke in the wind. “What do you mean, ‘as planned’?”
“I mean that Lucas and I invited you and my mom out for Mother’s Day. Just the four of us.”
A stunned older woman looking at someone | Source: Pexels
“But—” Charlize gestured around the table, “everyone’s here now. We can’t just…”
“Actually, we can.” I handed the server my card. “Please charge only for these items,” I said, pointing to our original orders on the bill.
The server nodded with what looked suspiciously like admiration and disappeared with my card.
Charlize’s face flushed crimson. “Sherin, this is embarrassing.”
“I agree. It is embarrassing to invite 10 extra people to someone else’s dinner and expect them to pay.”
A woman holding her bank card | Source: Pexels
Trish set down her wine glass with a thud. “Well, I certainly didn’t bring enough to cover this.”
“Perhaps,” my mother finally spoke up, her quiet voice somehow cutting through the tension, “we could all contribute what we can.”
Lucas stood up. “No. Mom brought this on herself. Either everyone pays their share, or—”
“Or what?” Charlize challenged. “You’ll leave your mother with the bill on Mother’s Day?”
I touched Lucas’s arm. “No. We’re paying for what we offered… dinner for our mothers. That’s $147.82. The rest,” I shrugged, smiling at the table, “is up to all of you to figure out.”
A woman shrugging | Source: Freepik
The server returned with my receipt. I signed it, adding a generous tip for the poor soul who had to deal with our table.
“Happy Mother’s Day to the women who raised us!” I said, helping my mom with her coat. “The rest of you… I’m sure you have children who would love to treat you next time.”
***
The drive home was quiet until my mom broke the silence from the backseat.
“I’ve never seen you stand up to Charlize like that,” she said.
“I thought she was going to explode,” Lucas added, reaching for my hand across the console.
“She might still,” I laughed, feeling lighter than I had in months. “But you know what? Let her!”
A woman laughing | Source: Unsplash
Suddenly, my phone buzzed with a text from Charlize: “Hope you’re happy. Had to borrow from Trish’s husband to cover the bill. So embarrassing.”
I showed it to Lucas and he shook his head. “Classic! Making herself the victim.”
“You know what’s actually embarrassing?” I said, turning to look at my mom in the rearview mirror. “Treating kindness like an unlimited resource you can exploit.”
Mom smiled. “I’m proud of you, honey.”
A woman holding her phone | Source: Unsplash
“Next year,” Lucas suggested, “maybe we just cook dinner at home.”
“Or,” I countered, “I take my favorite mother out alone, and you handle yours.”
We all laughed, and for the first time that day, it felt like an actual celebration.
As we pulled into our driveway, I realized something: standing your ground doesn’t always mean winning a battle. Sometimes it’s just about refusing to play someone else’s game.
And honestly? That feeling was worth way more than $1,250.47.
Silhouette of an independent and happy woman on the beach | Source: Pexels
Here’s another story: I baked my own wedding cake to prove we didn’t need anyone’s money. But my mother-in-law mocked me… then stole the spotlight. But what came next wasn’t in her recipe.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.