A United States deportation flight carrying nationals from Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, and Georgia was reportedly en route to the Central African Republic on Friday, according to legal representatives.
These "third-country" deportations, which include individuals with existing legal protections, have become a significant component of the Trump administration's immigration enforcement measures. This development comes despite a State Department advisory warning against travel to the Central African Republic due to its impoverished and conflict-ridden state.
The flight departed from Alexandria, Louisiana, on Thursday evening. It made a scheduled stopover in Ghana, a country known to facilitate third-country deportations, on Friday afternoon, according to public flight data. It remains uncertain whether any individuals were disembarked in Ghana or if all were continuing to the Central African Republic.
The passengers are primarily individuals granted "withholding of removal," a status offering fewer protections than asylum. Lawyers express concern that these individuals may ultimately be compelled to return to the countries from which they originally fled, a scenario that has reportedly occurred previously with deportees sent to other African nations. The Trump administration has asserted that individuals with "withholding of removal" status are only barred from being sent to their country of origin, not to other destinations.
The Central African Republic, while experiencing some security improvements due to international peacekeeping efforts and the presence of Russian mercenaries, remains an unstable country with ongoing activity from anti-government fighters and armed groups. This situation highlights concerns about the welfare of deportees sent to the nation without established support networks.
This follows a pattern of expanded deportation targets and destinations under the current administration. Previous reports from deportees and their legal counsel have detailed allegations of inadequate holding conditions in Ghana and prolonged detention in Eswatini, among other purported abuses. Legal challenges are also emerging, with a recent lawsuit filed with the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights seeking to halt US deportations to Equatorial Guinea and prevent onward expulsions of deportees to their home countries.
