ICE deports Afghans and others to Africa, expanding "third country" deportations

Key Points:

• Over a 10-day span, the Trump administration deported over 100 individuals from Afghanistan, Cuba, Nicaragua, and other countries to eight African nations under a "third country" deportation policy, sending detainees to countries where they have no ties.
• ICE flights delivered deportees to Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Liberia, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone, including people from Iran, Nepal, Turkey, Venezuela, and African detainees not native to the receiving countries.
• Some African countries accepting deportees, such as the Central African Republic and South Sudan, face severe conflict and human rights issues, raising concerns about the safety and legality of these deportations, especially for detainees with limited immigration protections.
• Among those deported was Khalil, a 24-year-old Afghan who aided U.S. forces and was granted withholding of removal protection but was still sent to the dangerous Central African Republic, highlighting the administration's efforts to deport individuals with some legal protections to third countries.
• Critics, including Khalil’s lawyer and a Marine colonel familiar with his family’s service, argue these deportations undermine refugee protections and break commitments made to allies who supported U.S. military efforts, potentially exposing deportees to grave risks.