Trump Administration Plans Deportations to Conflict-Ridden Central African Republic, Including Iranian Refugees]

Trump Administration Plans Deportations to Conflict-Ridden Central African Republic, Including Iranian Refugees]

The Trump administration is preparing to deport nearly two dozen individuals to the Central African Republic on Thursday, including at least two Iranian women who had sought asylum in the United States, according to lawyers and government officials.

The flight would mark the first-ever deportation to the Central African Republic, a nation plagued by ongoing conflict and so dangerous that the U.S. State Department advises against all travel. The group also includes migrants from Afghanistan and Syria.

Multiple deportees reportedly hold existing court orders prohibiting their removal to their home countries due to persecution risks, though their legal team notes these individuals face a higher burden of proof than those seeking asylum.

The administration is actively pursuing third-country agreements to facilitate deportations despite court protections. The U.S. has negotiated similar arrangements with dozens of nations including Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, and Eswatini.

The two Iranian women have no criminal records and court-protected status against return to Iran, according to attorney Sahar Jalili Pawelski. Many Iranian refugees with similar protections fear persecution based on political beliefs or religious identity.

Ali Rahmani of the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund described the women’s reaction as disbelief upon learning of their intended destination. The Department of Homeland Security declined to confirm the deportations for security reasons, while a U.S. official confirmed plans anonymously.

The Central African Republic lacks healthcare infrastructure and faces documented human rights abuses including unlawful killings, torture, and arbitrary detention. “It’s one of the hardest places in the world to live, and the idea that it would be considered a safe third country is absurd,” said University of Chicago Law School’s Anjli Parrin.

President Trump campaigned on reducing immigration, prompting the White House to pursue third-country deportations. This policy extends even to groups previously viewed as U.S. allies.

Negotiations with the Democratic Republic of Congo recently stalled after public criticism regarding over 1,000 Afghan allies of the U.S. war effort. One elderly Syrian man on the flight—described by attorney Margaret Stock as having credible persecution fears and diabetes—faces particular risk given the destination’s limited medical care.

“He’s not going to be able to access his medication, and he’s going to die,” Stock said. The man had been released from detention but was later recaptured during a traffic stop.

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