US and Iran Coordinated Deportations of Iranian Migrants Despite High Tensions

Emails obtained from American immigration officials reveal that the United States and Iran cooperated on deporting Iranian citizens in late 2025 and early 2026, despite ongoing political tensions. The correspondence shows coordination of at least three deportation flights in September and December 2025, and January 2026, involving over 100 Iranians. This cooperation persisted even during a 12-day conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran in June 2025, with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials prioritizing the deportations.

The emails indicate that Iranian representatives influenced which migrants were deported, requesting changes to deportation lists and expediting removals. Some deportees reported being forced to meet with Iranian regime officials while detained in US facilities, who had detailed information about their asylum claims. These revelations came from the National Iranian American Council and have sparked criticism from human rights advocates.

ICE officials, including acting director Todd Lyons and deportation operations head Marcus Charles, pushed to carry out the removals despite logistical challenges such as closed Iranian airspace and lack of travel documents. The pressure to proceed reportedly came from the highest levels of the Trump administration. Critics argue this cooperation contradicts the administration's public stance of opposing the Iranian regime and protecting Iranian citizens.

Jamal Abdi, president of the National Iranian American Council, condemned the deportations, stating the emails undermine claims that the US was acting to save Iranians from their government. Instead, he said the priority was forcibly removing as many people as possible by any means necessary.