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Immigration · Report · File No. 261112-254

Judge refuses to pause order for ICE to bring back Nicaraguan man sent to Africa

A federal judge in Minnesota denied the Trump administration's emergency request to delay his order to return Kenis Lopez Gonzalez from the Central African Republic. The case tests whether courts can make the government undo a wrongful deportation.

By the National Desk · · 2 min read

Every quote in this story (2) was matched word for word against its source. How we work

My clippings
Angie Craig
Angie Craig. Photo: U.S. House of Representatives, Public domain

A federal judge in Minnesota has refused to pause his order requiring the Trump administration to bring back a Nicaraguan man it deported to Africa. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Bryan denied the government's emergency request late Monday, Nov. 9 1.

The man is Kenis Lopez Gonzalez, who lived in Shakopee, Minnesota, and ran a construction company 12. Judge Bryan first ordered his return on Oct. 30 23. The judge's order barred officials from removing him from Minnesota while the case continues 2.

On tapeFOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul · Nov 10
FOX 9 report: federal judge denies Trump administration's emergency request to pause order returning Minnesota immigrant deported to Central African Republic.Video: FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul on YouTube, “Judge rejects Trump administration's bid to delay immigrant's return”. It plays from YouTube when you press play.

How he ended up in Africa

Lopez Gonzalez came to the United States in 2022 1. In 2024, an immigration judge ordered him deported but did not enforce the order because of safety concerns about sending him to Nicaragua 1. He was released under an order of supervision 1.

Federal agents detained him in January during a Minnesota enforcement operation called Operation Metro Surge 2. He was moved to Texas and then flown in August to the Central African Republic, a country he had never been to and has no known ties to 12. The State Department has had a "do not travel" advisory for that country since January 2.

From Channel GOPMamdani says New York will not help ICEZohran Mamdani · 850 plays · captioned, with the source named

What the court said

Judge Bryan found at this early stage that immigration officials likely violated Lopez Gonzalez's due-process rights when they took him into custody 2. He did not rule on whether sending people to third countries is legal in general 2. Fox 9 reported that the judge found the danger the man faces in Africa "vastly outweighs" the government's travel costs 1.

Government lawyers argued that flying him back would cost too much while the case is appealed 1. U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen also argued the judge should wait for the Supreme Court, which plans to hear a third-country deportation case in December 3. Lopez Gonzalez's lawyer, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, said the government argued that once a person is deported he is beyond the reach of the federal courts. The judge rejected that argument 2.

Angie Craig
dangerous and unacceptable
Angie Craig, U.S. Representative, Democrat-Minnesota2

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the judge was "openly defying the Supreme Court" 2. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has said third-country agreements allow removal of people "so barbaric that even their home countries won't take them back" 2. Lopez Gonzalez has no criminal record, according to court findings 2.

What happens next

A source told Fox 9 the government could ask the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to pause the order. The station did not say whether that request has been filed 1. The order stays in effect unless a judge or appeals court says otherwise 3.

Lopez Gonzalez is staying in a defunct hotel in Bangui, the capital. The International Organization for Migration, a United Nations-linked agency, provides his housing and basic needs 3. He has no legal status there and no protection from being sent on to Nicaragua 3. Even if the government meets every deadline, his return could take a couple of weeks 3.

That matters because the case asks whether a court order can reach someone after the government has already sent him abroad. Trackers cited by Newsweek count more than 170 people sent to the Central African Republic as of Oct. 27 2. Trackers cited by MPR count more than 25,000 sent to third countries under this administration 3.

The Record

  1. A judge ruled Lopez Gonzalez could not be deported to Nicaragua because of safety concerns 2.
  2. Lopez Gonzalez was flown from Texas to the Central African Republic with other detainees, according to his account 3.
  3. Judge Jeffrey Bryan ordered the government to arrange his return to the United States 23.
  4. Bryan denied the government's emergency request to pause the order 1.
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Sources

  1. FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul, “Judge rejects Trump Administration request to delay deported man's return to Minnesota” (2026-11-10). fox9.com/news/judge-rejects-trump-administration-request-del
  2. Newsweek, “ICE ordered to return man deported to African nation he has no ties to” (2026-10-30). newsweek.com/ice-ordered-to-return-man-deported-to-african-n
  3. MPR News, “Nicaragua man deported to Africa awaits return to Minnesota, amid legal battle” (2026-11-06). mprnews.org/story/2026/11/06/nicaraguan-kenis-lopez-gonzalez

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