The Trump administration is set to deport a planeload of around 100 Iranians back to their homeland from the United States. This decision follows a recent agreement between the U.S. and Iranian governments, as confirmed by two senior Iranian officials involved in the negotiations, along with a U.S. official knowledgeable about the plans.
According to the Iranian officials, the deportation flight, which is chartered by the U.S., took off from Louisiana on Monday night. It is scheduled to arrive in Iran via Qatar sometime on Tuesday. The U.S. official corroborated that the arrangements for this flight were in the final stages. All officials provided information on the condition of anonymity, as they were not authorized to publicly discuss the details.
This deportation is among the most significant actions taken by the Trump administration to remove migrants from the U.S., regardless of the human rights conditions they may face upon return. Earlier this year, the United States deported a group of Iranians, many of whom were converts to Christianity facing persecution in their home country, to Costa Rica and Panama. This expanding deportation campaign has raised concerns and sparked lawsuits from immigrant advocacy groups who criticize these flights.
For decades, the United States has offered shelter to Iranians fleeing their country, which is known for having one of the harshest human rights records in the world. Iran is notorious for its persecution of various groups, including women’s rights activists, political dissidents, journalists, lawyers, religious minorities, and members of the L.G.B.T.Q. community. The specific identities of the Iranians being deported and their reasons for seeking asylum in the United States remain unclear.
In recent years, there has been a notable increase in Iranian migrants arriving at the southern U.S. border, many of whom attempt to cross illegally. A significant number of these migrants have expressed fear of persecution in Iran due to their political and religious beliefs. Historically, the United States has hesitated to deport individuals to certain countries, including Iran, due to a lack of regular diplomatic relations and challenges in obtaining timely travel documents. This situation has often resulted in long detention periods for migrants or their release into the U.S.
In 2024, the United States deported just over two dozen Iranians, marking the highest number in years, through several commercial flights. According to the Iranian officials, the deportees include both men and women, with some being couples. Some individuals had volunteered to leave after spending months in detention centers, while others were forcibly deported. In nearly every instance, asylum requests had either been denied or the individuals had not yet appeared before a judge for an asylum hearing.
This deportation represents a rare instance of cooperation between the United States and the Iranian government. It is the result of months of discussions between the two nations, as noted by the Iranian officials. One official mentioned that Iran's foreign ministry is overseeing the return of the deportees, assuring them of their safety and the absence of any issues upon their arrival. Despite these reassurances, many deportees expressed disappointment and fear about returning home.
