The United States has deported dozens of asylum seekers to the Central African Republic, including 12 Afghans and eight Iranians, according to reports. The deportation flight landed in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, on Saturday.
Among those deported was an Afghan man in his early 20s whose family members had supported U.S. forces in Afghanistan. His lawyer said a U.S. judge had previously granted him protection from deportation to Afghanistan because of fears of persecution by the Taliban.
According to court documents cited by the Associated Press, one of the man’s brothers served in the former Afghan National Army alongside U.S. forces, while another brother was a U.S.-trained pilot who was later killed by the Taliban. His family had also reportedly received threats because of their links to the U.S.-backed Afghan military.
AfghanEvac, an organization supporting Afghans who assisted the United States, has raised concerns over the deportations and said the Afghan nationals had worked with or supported U.S. forces and had no ties to the Central African Republic.
The flight reportedly included nationals from Afghanistan, Iran, Nepal and Nicaragua. Human Rights First said the deportation was part of a broader U.S. policy of sending migrants to third countries through agreements that are often not publicly disclosed.
The case has renewed debate over the treatment of Afghan allies and asylum seekers under U.S. immigration policy, particularly those who fear persecution if returned to Afghanistan.