Irish Probe US Deportee Flight Stop at Shannon

A US charter flight carrying eight deportees from multiple countries, allegedly in violation of a US federal court order requiring proper humanitarian screenings, stopped at Shannon Airport en route to Djibouti, with the final destination believed to be South Sudan. The flight departed from Texas and refueled at Shannon, prompting Irish authorities, including Tánaiste Simon Harris and the Department of Transport, to investigate whether Irish laws or international agreements were breached. US Homeland Security described the deportees as having committed severe crimes. Irish politicians, such as Labour leader Ivana Bacik, have expressed concerns about Irish airports being used to facilitate potential human rights violations. The Irish government is seeking legal clarity on the incident while balancing international agreements on aircraft landings. No official response has yet been provided by the Departments of Justice or Foreign Affairs.