SUNTV Global Channel Reporting | June 12, 2026
The United States has deported a group of migrants, including nationals from Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Georgia, to the conflict-affected Central African Republic (CAR), a move that has sparked concern among immigration lawyers and human rights advocates.
According to reports, the deportation flight departed Alexandria, Louisiana, on Thursday and was en route to the Central African Republic after a scheduled stop in Ghana.
Legal representatives familiar with the case said several of the migrants had previously been granted “withholding of removal” protections by U.S. immigration courts — a legal status intended to prevent individuals from being returned to countries where they could face persecution, violence, or other serious threats.
Among those reportedly deported were two Iranian women who had fled Iran and obtained legal protection in the United States.
Immigration attorney Emily Trostle expressed concern that the deportees could eventually be sent back to the countries they originally escaped from.
Human rights groups have criticized the policy, arguing that relocating migrants to third countries where they have no legal status, family connections, or support systems places them in vulnerable situations.
The deportation is part of a broader immigration enforcement strategy by the administration of U.S. President , which has increasingly relied on third-country deportation agreements to remove migrants who cannot be returned directly to their countries of origin.
The destination, the , remains one of the world’s most fragile states despite recent security improvements. Armed groups continue to operate across large parts of the country, and international travel advisories still warn of significant security risks.
Observers say it remains unclear what legal status or protections the deported migrants will receive upon arrival in the Central African Republic.
The development has also intensified legal challenges against the U.S. government’s third-country deportation policy, with rights organizations arguing that such removals may expose vulnerable individuals to renewed risks and uncertainty.
As of the time of filing this report, neither U.S. authorities nor officials in the Central African Republic had issued detailed statements regarding the long-term arrangements for the deportees.
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