Full Breakdown
U.S. Third-Country Deportation to the Central African Republic
6/13/2026, 4:04:05 AM
Core Event: Flight to Bangui
In early June 2026 a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement aircraft departed Alexandria, Louisiana, with roughly 20 migrants bound for Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR). The manifest included two Iranian women who had been granted “withholding of removal” protection, a Syrian man, Afghan nationals, a Turkish political refugee and other individuals from Armenia, Georgia, Jordan and Turkey. After a scheduled stop in Accra, Ghana, the plane landed in Bangui on the night of June 12.
Background: U.S. Third-Country Deportation Policy
The Trump administration has pursued “third-country” removal agreements to circumvent legal barriers that prevent direct repatriation of asylum seekers. By early 2026 the United States had secured deals with at least nine African states—including CAR, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan and Sierra Leone—and several Latin American nations. These arrangements allow the U.S. to deport individuals who cannot be sent home because of diplomatic or judicial constraints.
Key Figures & Groups
- Emily Trostle, immigration attorney for the Iranian women.
- Ali Rahnama, interim legal director of the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund (IALDF).
- Jamal Abdi, president of the National Iranian American Council.
- Korbin Felder, Justice Fellow, Center for Constitutional Rights.
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which asserts that all deportees receive full due process.
- International Organization for Migration (IOM), which will provide voluntary humanitarian assistance in Bangui.
- President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, head of the CAR government, which has not issued a public comment.
Data & Statistics
- Planned first flight: ? 20 people (sources vary between “about 20” and “around two dozen”).
- Iranian women with withholding of removal: 2 (one a Christian convert, the other a pro-democracy activist).
- Other nationalities on board: Syrians, Afghans, a Turkish political refugee, plus individuals from Armenia, Georgia, Jordan and Turkey.
- CAR poverty: ? 70 % of the 5.5 million population lives below the poverty line; the country ranks among the world’s poorest.
- Ongoing security: Russian-linked Wagner mercenaries, Rwandan troops and UN peacekeepers are present; rebel activity persists.
Why It Matters
The deportation tests the limits of U.S. asylum protections by relocating protected individuals to a nation with severe instability, limited legal recourse and close ties to both Russia and Iran. It also raises questions about the legality and ethics of outsourcing immigration enforcement to fragile states, potentially exposing migrants to renewed persecution or forced return to their countries of origin.
Official Statements & Responses
- DHS maintains that “all deportees will receive full due process.”
- The State Department’s travel advisory for CAR reads: “Do not travel to the Central African Republic for any reason.”
- An unnamed U.S. official confirmed the flight would carry “about 20 people” and that deportees would be housed in apartments in Bangui, with no immediate repatriation planned.
- IOM spokesperson said the agency will “provide post-arrival humanitarian assistance on a strictly voluntary basis, respecting applicable international standards.”
Criticism & Opposition
- Emily Trostle warned that the transfer is “super dangerous” and that the women “have absolutely no connection to this place.”
- Ali Rahnama stated, “At the very moment the United States is promising the Iranian people freedom… it is sending Iranian asylum seekers… back toward their demise.”
- Jamal Abdi called the actions “a total disregard for the law, due process… and the wellbeing of Iranians as a whole.”
- Korbin Felder described the deportations as “a death sentence for our client.”
- Human-rights groups argue the deals are opaque and risk violating international law.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact passenger count (? 20 vs. “around two dozen”) and on whether all three Iranian women were on the flight; some reports indicate only the pro-democracy activist boarded. The CAR government has not clarified the legal status that will be granted to the arrivals or whether they may seek asylum locally.
Verbatim Quotes
- “These individuals are being removed from the United States and abandoned in a country where they have no status, no connection and no support network,” — Emily Trostle, immigration lawyer
- “We fear they will ultimately be forced to return to the countries they originally fled.” — Emily Trostle
- “At the very moment the United States is promising the Iranian people freedom and support for standing against the Islamic Republic, it is sending Iranian asylum seekers who fled that same regime back toward their demise,” — Ali Rahnama, IALDF
- “These reckless actions unfortunately reflect a total disregard for the law, due process of these detainees, and the wellbeing of Iranians as a whole,” — Jamal Abdi, NIAC
- “We don't know if these migrants who are coming to and will be received on Central African soil are in transit or if they are entitled to apply for asylum,” — Paul Crescent Beninga, political scientist
What’s Next
U.S. officials indicate that “hundreds” of migrants could eventually be sent to CAR under the agreement. Legal challenges have been filed with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and advocacy groups continue to demand transparency and protection guarantees for future deportees.
