The US has deported a second group of Iranian nationals, officials in Tehran said, as immigration enforcement efforts continue under the Trump administration.
A chartered plane carrying more than 50 Iranians flew out of Mesa, Arizona, on Sunday, traveling through Cairo and Kuwait before arriving in Iran, according to reports.
Tehran's foreign ministry confirmed the return of Iranian nationals. However, US immigration officials could not confirm or deny a flight for security reasons.
The first deportation flight took off from the US in late September, in a rare instance of cooperation between Iran and the US. Many Iranian nationals seek refuge in the US due to fears of persecution at home.
Father Joseph Bach, a member of Borderland Companions of Hope—a group providing support to migrants—reported that some deported individuals were Christian converts, while others identified as LGBT. These groups are known to face severe legal and social repercussions in Iran.
Father Joseph condemned the deportations as the most unchristian thing to do, describing them as a death flight, and raised concerns about the individuals' safety upon return.
Authorities in Iran have facilitated the repatriation, suggesting that the deported nationals willingly returned due to the US's ongoing anti-immigration policies, particularly aimed at Iranians, as reported by Iran's judiciary-affiliated Mizan News Agency.
Nonetheless, some deported individuals have shared their fears regarding their return. One detainee, who had entered the US from Mexico earlier this year, expressed that their life would be in danger if returned to Iran.
The latest deportations exacerbate already strained relations between the US and Iran, further deteriorated after the US bombed Iran's nuclear facilities earlier this year.
This situation underscores the hardline immigration stance adopted by the US government, focused on reducing unauthorized migration amid ongoing political tensions.
