Key facts
- The U.S. deported an Iranian pro-democracy activist to the Central African Republic.
- The activist's lawyer described the transfer as "super dangerous" to a country with no connection to the deportee.
- Three Iranian women, including one who converted to Christianity, were initially at risk of deportation.
- The U.S. has agreements with countries like the Central African Republic to accept third-country deportees.
- Immigration advocates express concern that these deals are used to circumvent asylum protections and risk repatriation.
The United States has deported an Iranian pro-democracy activist to the Central African Republic, a country with which she has no connection, according to her lawyer. The transfer, described as "super dangerous," raises concerns about the potential for repatriation to Iran, the country the activist fled.
The Iranian American Legal Defense Fund (IALDF) had stated that three Iranian women, including one who converted to Christianity, were at risk of deportation. Ultimately, only the activist was on the flight that departed Louisiana on Thursday night, though her lawyer did not rule out that the others could potentially be deported later. The plane was expected to travel to Bangui, the capital of Central African Republic, via Accra, Ghana.
Lawyers argue that these individuals are being removed from the U.S. and abandoned in a country where they have no status, connection, or support network. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated last week that all deportees would receive full due process. Ghana and the Central African Republic have signed agreements with the Trump administration to accept third-country deportees, many of whom had secured legal protections from U.S. courts that would prevent their repatriation.
The IALDF noted that the Iranians facing deportation had their asylum claims denied due to a rule requiring asylum seekers to first apply in countries they transit through before reaching the U.S., a rule that a federal court in California vacated in May. The group considers deporting Iranians to the Central African Republic a "potentially fatal action," citing security issues in the country and the risk of being sent back to Iran. The presence of Russian mercenaries in the Central African Republic is also a concern due to Moscow's close intelligence ties with Tehran.
An official briefed on the matter told Reuters on Thursday that the first flight was expected to transport about 20 people, including Syrians and Afghans, with hundreds of migrants potentially being deported there under the deal.