South Sudanese authorities confirmed on Tuesday that eight men deported from the United States were now in the custody of the government of the African country. Apuk Ayuel, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry,

South Sudan initially refused the first deportee sent to Juba in April, arguing that he was from the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio subsequently revoked all visas for South Sudanese passport holders, citing the country’s refusal to accept deported nationals.

Murphy’s decision came after a frenzied day in court by attorneys for the eight men, who initially filed an emergency petition in Washington, D.C., before a federal judge there sent the case back to Massachusetts. The July 4 drama came a day after the Supreme Court lifted an order by Murphy that had blocked the deportation.