Migrants have recounted hours of intense anxiety, during which they faced imminent deportation to Libya, as the “most terrifying” ordeal of their lives, reports US publication The Latin Times.
The newspaper quoted lawyers representing a number of the migrants, stating that their clients remain gripped by persistent fear regarding potential future deportation operations to Libya or other similarly unsafe countries.
The US outlet detailed how 13 migrants held in detention in Texas endured moments of terror as they stood on the precipice of being deported to Libya in the early hours of last Wednesday. These individuals were spared this fate only by the last-minute intervention of a federal judge, who issued a judicial order halting the deportation process.
The Latin Times further revealed that these migrants, before being escorted to the airport, were compelled to sign official documents purporting to indicate their consent to deportation to Libya. This coercion has amplified their fears of being subjected to the same procedure at a later date.