Full Breakdown
U.S. “Third-Country” Deportations Send Migrants to the Central African Republic
9/1/2026, 8:34:56 PM
The Deportation Flights
On the evening of June 11, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) placed a group of 30 migrants on a flight that landed in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR). Among them was 24-year-old Khalil, an Afghan whose brothers served with U.S. forces in Afghanistan. The flight also carried Afghans, Iranians, and nationals from Nepal and Nicaragua, according to a U.S. immigration-rights organization. A second flight left the United States on July 31, delivering 31 deportees to CAR, raising concerns that accommodation in the war-torn country may soon run out.
Background and Policy Context
Since President Donald Trump returned to office, the administration has expanded a “third-country” deportation program that relies on secret agreements with nations that have no direct link to the migrants being removed. Internal U.S. government documents obtained by news outlets show that over a ten-day period ICE conducted three flights that deposited detainees in eight African states, including Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Liberia, Rwanda and Sierra Leone. More than 30 countries worldwide have signed such agreements, allowing the United States to transfer people who lack legal status in the U.S. to locations where they have little or no prior connection.
Affected Individuals
- Khalil – An Afghan who entered the United States illegally in 2024 after traveling through Latin America. In August 2025 an immigration judge granted him “withholding of removal,” a protection that bars deportation to Afghanistan but does not prevent transfer to a third country. His lawyer says the deportation violates the spirit of that protection.
- Nika – An Iranian political activist who arrived in the United States in late 2024. She obtained a court-ordered protection order intended to keep her from being returned to a country where she faces persecution. Despite the order, she was arrested after a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) notice and placed on the June 11 flight. She now lives in a Bangui apartment, fearing police extortion and malaria.
Official Statements & Responses
The State Department issued a travel advisory warning U.S. citizens about security risks in CAR.
Criticism & Opposition
Human-rights advocates argue that the practice undermines international refugee protections. A director at Human Rights First noted that the deportations include individuals with limited criminal histories, raising ethical and legal questions about sending vulnerable people to a conflict-riven nation.
Data & Statistics
- Over 100 deportees from Afghanistan, Cuba, Nicaragua and other nations were moved in a ten-day span, according to internal documents.
- Three ICE flights delivered migrants to eight African countries, with CAR receiving at least two of those flights.
- More than 30 countries have entered into “third-country” agreements with the United States, many of which have not publicly disclosed the terms.
What’s Next
The July 31 flight indicates that the United States plans to continue using CAR as a destination for third-country deportations. No public timetable has been released for future flights, and the lack of transparency around the agreements leaves the scope of the program uncertain.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact number of migrants transferred on each flight and on the identities of all destination countries. While internal documents list eight African states, other reporting mentions additional nations in Latin America and Europe that have accepted deportees. No official U.S. spokesperson has provided a comprehensive list of partner countries or the criteria used to select them, leaving a significant information gap about the program’s full scale and legal justification.
