Trump tried to deport Iranians from the US - one country disrupted the plan

The Trump administration's deportation operation against Iranian detainees hit an unexpected snag: a plane that took off from Arizona turned back after Pakistan withdrew its consent to serve as a transit point. The detainees were returned to an immigration detention facility. Human rights organizations warn of the risk of persecution for those deported.

The Trump administration's deportation operation against Iranian detainees hit an unexpected snag: a plane that took off from Arizona with Iranian detainees turned back within about half an hour, after Pakistan withdrew its consent to serve as a transit point. The detainees were returned to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility. The Trump administration plans to carry out at least two deportation operations this month to countries with which the US has no diplomatic relations, Iran and Afghanistan, using Pakistan as a transit point. The Department of Homeland Security stated that the plane carried individuals with criminal records and final removal orders, emphasizing that the administration is using all legal means to carry out the largest deportation operation in history. The move has drawn opposition from human rights organizations; the Iranian-American Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit alleging that the administration transferred confidential information about asylum applications to Iranian authorities, putting dozens of immigrants at risk of persecution, including converts to Christianity, members of the LGBTQ community, and regime opponents.