Nicolai Haugsted
Iranians stand to be deported, but not back to the Middle East
A controversial immigration strategy is set to expand beyond familiar destinations.
The Trump administration is preparing to send a group of migrants, including several Iranians, to the Central African Republic under a newly established third-country deportation arrangement, according to lawyers involved in the cases and an official briefed on the plan.
The move would mark another step in Washington’s effort to deport migrants who cannot easily be returned to their countries of origin, but critics argue the policy raises serious humanitarian concerns.
Asylum Seekers Among Those Facing Removal
Among the migrants expected to be placed on the first flight are two Iranian women who had previously sought protection in the United States.
According to Reuters via. their attorney, Emily Trostle, both women were detained after arriving in the U.S. in late 2024 and later secured a legal form of protection known as withholding of removal.
That status is typically granted when an immigration judge determines that a person faces a significant risk of persecution or torture if returned to their home country.
Trostle said one of the women converted to Christianity, while the other is involved in pro-democracy activism.
First Flight Could Leave Within Days
Sources familiar with the plan told Reuters that roughly 20 migrants could be included on the first transfer to the Central African Republic.
Passengers are expected to include individuals from Iran, Syria, Afghanistan and possibly Turkey.
A lawyer representing a Turkish migrant said their client had also received protection from removal to their homeland but could nevertheless be placed on the flight.
Officials briefed on the arrangement said departures could begin as early as this week.
Part of Broader Deportation Strategy
Third-country agreements have become a key tool for the administration in cases where deportation directly back to a migrant’s home country is legally difficult or politically complicated.
Recent arrangements have also involved other African nations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Administration officials have defended the agreements as lawful.
Human rights organizations, however, have repeatedly criticized the lack of transparency surrounding the deals and questioned what ultimately happens to migrants after arrival.
Ali Rahnama of the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund criticized the policy in particularly strong terms.
“At the very moment the United States is promising the Iranian people freedom and support for standing against the Islamic Republic, it is sending Iranian asylum seekers who fled that same regime back toward their demise.”
Hundreds Could Eventually Be Sent
People arriving under the agreement are expected to be housed in apartments in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, according to an official familiar with the arrangement.
Immediate repatriation to their countries of origin is not currently expected.
Officials also indicated that the deal could eventually be used for hundreds of deportations if the program expands.
The International Organization for Migration said it would provide humanitarian assistance after arrival if requested by local authorities.
A spokesperson stressed that any assistance would be offered voluntarily and in accordance with international standards.
Questions Surround Destination Country
The Central African Republic remains one of the world’s most fragile nations.
Decades of political instability, armed conflict and poverty have left much of the country’s population struggling with basic living conditions.
Although President Faustin-Archange Touadéra has reached peace agreements with several rebel groups in recent years, security concerns persist across parts of the country.
Against that backdrop, critics argue that sending vulnerable migrants to such a destination raises difficult questions about safety, long-term prospects and the overall purpose of the administration’s growing network of third-country deportation agreements.
