The United States is being asked to explain why it appears to be deporting migrants from as far away as Vietnam and Cuba to South Sudan, a chaotic country that's once again in danger of collapsing into civil war.

Lawyers for the immigrants, who aren’t from South Sudan, contend the deportations violate a court order after a previous attempt to send some people to Libya.

The deportees are stuck in Djibouti amid a legal fight over their expulsions. A lawyer for some of the men said she was concerned for their health and welfare.