U.S. deports migrants from Afghanistan, Iran, other countries to violence-torn Central African Republic

Key Points:

• The Trump administration deported about 20 migrants from Afghanistan, Iran, Armenia, Iraq, and other nations to the Central African Republic (CAR), a country under a Level 4 U.S. travel advisory due to severe violence and unrest.
• Among the deportees was an Iranian pro-democracy activist who had legal protection from a U.S. immigration court, but was sent to CAR without prior notice, raising concerns from her lawyer about her safety and lack of support.
• The U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated that illegal entrants could be deported to detention centers or third countries, emphasizing the administration's commitment to aggressive deportation efforts, including to countries where deportees have no ties.
• The Trump administration has expanded its practice of deporting migrants to third countries, including several African and Latin American nations, many of which face their own political instability and conflict.
• Legal advocates warn that deporting individuals with withholding of removal protections to third countries like CAR risks forcing them back to danger in their home countries, as these protections only prevent deportation to their native lands, not to other unsafe locations.