The US has deported a second group of Iranian nationals, officials in Tehran stated, reflecting ongoing immigration enforcement efforts from the Trump administration.
A chartered plane carrying over 50 Iranians departed from Mesa, Arizona, flying through Cairo and Kuwait before returning to Iran. Tehran’s foreign ministry has confirmed the return of these nationals, though US immigration officials have refrained from commenting on the specifics due to security protocols.
This is the second deportation flight since late September, an unusual cooperation moment between Iran and the United States, as many Iranian nationals venture to the US seeking refuge from potential persecution at home.
Father Joseph Bach, affiliated with Borderland Companions of Hope—a Franciscan organization assisting migrants—reported noticing that among those deported were Christian converts, alongside individuals identifying as part of the LGBT community, both facing severe repercussions under Iranian law.
Father Joseph condemned the deportations, labeling them as 'the most unchristian thing to do,' voicing his grave concern by referring to them as a 'death flight.' He stated that the environment within the Arizona detention facility has been alarming for detainees.
According to an Iranian consular official, the deported individuals had expressed their willingness to return in light of the ongoing deportation policies perceived as discriminatory against foreign nationals, especially Iranians, by the US government.
Additionally, one detainee conveyed to the BBC that not all who were deported showed a willingness to return. There are reports of individuals who, after crossing into the US from Mexico, face dire consequences should they be sent back.
The broader context of these deportations is set against a backdrop of increasing tensions between the US and Iran, particularly highlighted by US military actions targeting Iranian facilities earlier this year, which further strained the already delicate diplomatic relations.
The deportations serve to underscore the Trump administration’s hardline stance on immigration, accentuating a narrative of border security and the reduction of unauthorized migration as central themes of its political agenda.
