U.S. deports Iranian asylum seeker to Central African Republic

The Trump administration deported at least one Iranian woman who sought asylum in the U.S. to the Central African Republic, according to immigration lawyers. She was among roughly two dozen people removed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to the country, where the State Department advises Americans not to travel due to risks of unrest, crime, kidnapping, landmines, health issues, and terrorism.

At least three Iranian women protected by court orders, including women who converted from Islam to Christianity, were initially targeted for removal to the Central African Republic.

Court interventions and flight details Two Iranian women received emergency court orders temporarily barring their removal while judges reviewed the legality of the deportations, according to immigration lawyer Sahar Jalili Pawelski. Other deportees on the flight were from Afghanistan, Armenia, Georgia, Jordan, and Turkey, according to the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund.

The group stated that the deportees would arrive with no local language skills, no familiarity with customs, and no knowledge of safe areas amid active armed conflict.

Agreements and prior reporting A deal to send deportees to the Central African Republic was discussed during a May 18 meeting in Bangui, Reuters reported. The Trump administration has reached secret agreements with nearly two dozen countries, including several in Africa, to accept immigrants who cannot be returned to their home countries.

More than 17,500 immigrants have been deported to at least 21 third countries since President Trump took office, according to a report by Human Rights First and Refugees International. The administration has pledged at least $44 million to more than 30 countries that agreed to accept deportees, the same report found.