ICE allegedly accelerated Iranian deportations during US-Iran war, NIAC claims

Emails obtained by the National Iranian American Council (NIAC) show that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accelerated deportations of Iranian nationals after the 12-Day War. The report claims ICE arrested 192 Iranians in June 2025, acting on White House orders, and deported individuals despite Iran's airspace being closed. A deportation flight landed in Qatar to transfer deportees, and one individual not on the manifest was still repatriated. NIAC suggested possible Israeli influence without evidence.

The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) released emails showing that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accelerated deportations of Iranian nationals after the 12-Day War between the US and Iran. According to NIAC, ICE arrested 192 Iranians in June 2025, acting on orders from the White House. The arrests occurred days before the US struck Iranian nuclear facilities and entered the war. Despite ICE officials noting that Iran's airspace was closed and the country was in internal chaos, the expedited process continued. A deportation flight on September 30, 2025, landed in Qatar to transfer deportees to Iran; during the stopover, authorities realized one deportee was not on the flight manifest but was still repatriated. The report states an ICE attaché in the US Embassy in Tel Aviv was heavily involved, and NIAC suggested the Israeli government could have influenced the operation, though no evidence was provided. NIAC President Jamal Abdi criticized the administration for deporting people to a country being bombed while promising help. The article relies entirely on NIAC's claims and does not include comment from ICE, the White House, or the Israeli government.