The Trump administration is preparing to deport a group of Iranian asylum seekers and other migrants to the Central African Republic (CAR) under a newly established third-country agreement, according to reports. The first flight under this arrangement could depart as early as Thursday and is expected to carry approximately 20 individuals, including people from Syria, Afghanistan, and a Turkish national. The administration has increasingly utilized third-country deportation agreements as a legal mechanism to remove migrants who cannot be sent back to their home countries. Federal authorities previously established a similar removal deal with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The CAR, which has faced decades of political instability since gaining independence from France in 1960, is bordered by Chad, Sudan, South Sudan, the DRC, and Cameroon. President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, who was re-elected in December, has sought security assistance from Russia while also expressing interest in partnerships with Western nations to develop the country's mineral sector. Under the new U.S. deal, hundreds of migrants could ultimately be sent to the CAR, which has raised concerns among immigration defense lawyers.
Among those scheduled for the upcoming flight are two Iranian women who arrived in the U.S. in November 2024 and received a stay of deportation from an immigration judge. Their attorney, Emily Trostle, stated that the women face risks of torture and persecution if returned to Iran. The latest agreement was reportedly finalized during a U.S. delegation visit to Bangui in May. Once in the CAR, deportees are expected to be housed in apartments in Bangui and will not face immediate repatriation. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirmed it will provide voluntary, post-arrival humanitarian assistance to the migrants at the request of the Central African government, but it will not be involved in the removals. At least eight African nations have previously accepted U.S. deportees, typically in exchange for financial or logistical support.