U.S. plans first deportation flight to Central African Republic

The Trump administration is preparing to deport nearly two dozen people to the Central African Republic on Thursday, including at least two Iranian women who had sought refuge in the United States. The flight is also expected to include migrants from Afghanistan and Syria.

It would mark the first such deportation to the Central African Republic, a country the State Department advises against travel to for any reason.

Court protections and third-country deals At least some of the migrants have received U.S. court orders prohibiting their deportation to their home countries because of the threat of persecution or torture. The administration is working to find other countries willing to accept them despite these orders.

The U.S. has sought or signed agreements with dozens of countries, including Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, and Eswatini. The Iranian women scheduled for Thursday’s flight have no criminal record and have been granted court protection against deportation to Iran.

Conditions in destination country The Central African Republic is a deeply impoverished country that has been plagued by conflict. The U.S. government has documented significant human rights abuses there, including unlawful killings, torture, and arbitrary arrest and detention.

The migrants have no ties to the country, and it is unclear where they will live or whether they could ultimately be sent back to their home countries. A senior immigration official in the Central African Republic said he had no knowledge of any final agreement.

The Department of Homeland Security said it would not confirm future deportations for security reasons. The planned deportations were confirmed by a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the plans were not public.