Women who fled Iran set to be deported to Central African Republic, lawyers say
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In an unprecedented move set to reshape international asylum norms, the Trump administration has commenced deporting women who fled Iran, alongside migrants from Afghanistan, Syria, and other nations, to the Central African Republic (CAR). This marks the first such deportation to CAR, a nation plagued by severe conflict, widespread human rights abuses, and such dire conditions that the U.S. State Department explicitly advises against all travel there. Lawyers for some of the Iranian women confirm they had secured 'withholding of removal' status, a legal protection indicating a high risk of persecution or torture if returned to their home country. This controversial 'third-country deportation strategy' bypasses existing legal safeguards by diverting asylum seekers to nations with no prior connection to their cases, weaponizing a loophole to circumvent protections against refoulement. Human rights organizations, including Human Rights First and the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund, are decrying the policy as undermining due process and international law, while the UNHCR has previously cautioned against forcible returns to CAR due to its extreme instability. The humanitarian situation in CAR remains critical in 2026, with an estimated 2.3 million people in need of assistance amid ongoing security and climate crises, and a high prevalence of gender-based violence. The initial flight, carrying approximately 20 individuals, departed late Thursday, June 11, 2026, from the United States, with reports indicating some deportation were temporarily halted by emergency court orders. Hundreds more migrants could face similar transfers under newly struck agreements between the U.S. and CAR. As the European Union also moves to adopt similar restrictive migration policies, this development signals a dramatic shift in global asylum practices, raising urgent questions about the future of international refugee protection and the moral obligations of sovereign states.