Trump Administration Deports 70 Foreign Nationals to Central African Republic

The Trump administration deported approximately 70 foreign nationals to the Central African Republic on Friday, including 20 Afghans and 10 Iranians. The flight departed from the Dallas area and included a 24-year-old Afghan man whose family members served the U.S. military. This individual was removed despite having been granted withholding of removal by an immigration judge due to credible fears of persecution.

This action is part of a broader strategy of third-country deportations enabled by a Supreme Court ruling that allows accords with nations to accept deportees. The administration has sent roughly 23,000 people to countries where they have no ties, including 19,000 to Mexico.

Advocacy groups, including the ACLU and Human Rights First, characterize the policy as cruel, noting that deportees are sent to conflict zones without legal status or protection. The United States Department of Homeland Security defended the removals, stating it is applying the law to remove those with no right to remain in the United States.