The US has deported a group of migrants, including an Iranian pro-democracy activist, to the Central African Republic, a country with a Level 4 travel advisory from the State Department due to unrest, crime, and terrorism.

Deportation Details

The Iranian activist, who had received a withholding of removal order from an American immigration court, was deported despite having no connection to the Central African Republic. Her lawyer, Emily Trostle, claims that the Department of Homeland Security ignored requests for her client to speak with a US asylum officer about her fears of being deported.

Two other Iranian women, who are Christian converts and fled Iran due to religious persecution, were also scheduled to be deported to the Central African Republic but were ultimately not put on the plane. The women had been granted withholding of removal protections, which shield immigrants from being deported to the countries they fled, but do not prevent deportation to other countries.

US Deportation Policy

The deportations to the Central African Republic are part of the Trump administration’s efforts to deport thousands of migrants to third countries. The administration has persuaded several dozen countries to take in deportees who are not their own citizens, including African countries plagued by armed conflict, civil unrest, and political turmoil.

Original reporting: KTSA News/Talk (San Antonio) — read the source article.