The US Supreme Court has cleared the way for the deportation of eight immigrants to South Sudan, a war-ravaged country where they have no ties. The court’s conservative majority found that immigration officials can quickly deport people to third countries, halting an order that allowed immigrants to challenge removals to countries outside their homeland where they could be in danger.

The decision reverses findings from federal Judge Brian Murphy in Massachusetts, who said his order on the migrants still stands even after the high court lifted his broader decision. The migrants, who had previously been convicted of serious crimes, were held in a converted shipping container at a naval base in Djibouti after their flight was detoured.

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said federal authorities would complete the trip to South Sudan, stating, “The Supreme Court’s intervention is a win for the rule of law, safety and security of the American people.”

Attorneys for the migrants argue that they could face “imprisonment, torture and even death” if sent to South Sudan, where escalating political tensions have threatened to devolve into another civil war. “We know they’ll face perilous conditions, and potentially immediate detention, upon arrival,” said Trina Realmuto, executive director of the National Immigration Litigation Alliance.

The court’s decision was met with dissent from two liberal justices, Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, who said the ruling gives the government special treatment. “Other litigants must follow the rules, but the administration has the Supreme Court on speed dial,” Sotomayor wrote.

Justice Elena Kagan noted that while she disagreed with the original order, it does countermand Murphy’s findings on the South Sudan flight. The Trump administration has called Murphy’s finding “a lawless act of defiance,” with Attorney General Pam Bondi labeling him a “rogue district court judge”.