The United States deported dozens of individuals to the Central African Republic on Saturday, according to legal counsel and the advocacy group Human Rights First. Among those on the flight was an Afghan man whose brothers provided assistance to the U.S. military during the conflict in Afghanistan. The man, who is in his early twenties, had previously been granted protection from removal to Afghanistan by a U.S. judge based on fears of Taliban persecution.
Court documents indicate the man's family in Afghanistan received threats from the Taliban due to his brothers' collaboration with American forces. Attorney Alma David stated that one of the man's brothers lives in the U.S. and served in the Afghan National Army, which worked with the U.S. military before the Taliban assumed power in 2021. A second brother, a U.S.-trained pilot, was killed by the Taliban, David said.
The deportation flight arrived in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, carrying 12 Afghans, eight Iranians, and several individuals from Nepal and Nicaragua. Savi Arvey, director of policy for refugee and immigrant rights at Human Rights First, noted that this was the second such flight to the Central African Republic since June, when a flight transported two dozen migrants.
The use of these agreements sets a precedent for how the U.S. government handles asylum seekers who cannot be legally returned to their home countries due to safety concerns. By utilizing third-party deportations, the administration continues a broader immigration policy that advocates say relies on non-public agreements with various foreign governments. It is not yet reported what specific legal status these individuals will hold in the Central African Republic.
What happens next: The individuals arrived in Bangui on Saturday. Immigration advocates continue to monitor the administration's use of third-country deportation agreements.