Trump Administration Deports Migrants to Central African Republic

The Government of the United States deported approximately two dozen migrants to the Central African Republic on June 12 and 13, 2026. The operation, part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to use third-country agreements, involved a flight from Alexandria, Louisiana, with a stopover in Accra, Ghana, before landing in Bangui. Deportees included nationals from Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, and Jordan.

Many of the migrants, including an Iranian pro-democracy activist and a Christian convert, had previously secured withholding of removal status, which legally barred their return to their home countries due to credible fears of torture or persecution. By relocating them to a third country, the administration bypassed these court protections. Upon arrival in Bangui, men and women were separated; some were housed in apartments while others stayed at a firefighters' base near the U.S. Embassy.

Legal advocates, including the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund and attorney Emily Trostle, condemned the move as a dangerous legal loophole. They argued that deporting Iranians to a nation with close intelligence ties to Russia and Tehran is potentially fatal and abandons individuals without support networks in a conflict-ridden region. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security maintained that all deportees received due process. To mitigate the impact, the International Organization for Migration is providing post-arrival humanitarian assistance, supported by an $85 million U.S. award for operations in the region.