A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration likely violated U.S. law by sending Adriana Maria Quiroz Zapata to the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country that refused her entry.

The decision follows Congo’s refusal on medical grounds—Zapata suffers from diabetes, hyperlipidemia and hypothyroidism—despite earlier agreements to accept deportees. The judge ordered the DHS to return her.

This case mirrors the 2025 deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, underscoring a pattern of unlawful removals. The ruling signals that the U.S. must honour destination‑country consent, adding legal pressure on agencies handling irregular deportations.

U.S. immigration officials now face a concrete deadline to relocate Zapata, highlighting the limits of the administration’s “deportation‑to‑other‑countries” strategy and the legal risks of bypassing destination‑country agreements.