Over 50 Iranian Migrants Deported From U.S.

Iranian authorities have confirmed that 55 Iranian migrants were detained and deported from the United States under increasingly strict immigration rules implemented by President Donald Trump's administration. This marks the second documented mass removal of Iranian nationals in recent months.

Mojtaba Sashthi Karimi, Director General of Consular Affairs at Iran's Foreign Ministry, told media that the group returned to Iran after completing“administrative and legal procedures” through Iran's Interests Section in Washington. He added that instructions had been issued to ensure“proper and humane treatment” during transit.

Reports did not identify the deported individuals or the legal grounds for their removal. Rights advocates and U.S. media, however, said many detainees had overstayed visas or entered the country without proper documentation. BBC reported that over 50 Iranian migrants detained at an ICE facility in Arizona were scheduled for deportation. They were expected to travel to Egypt, then Kuwait, before returning to Iran.

CNN cited an unnamed deportee who claimed his life would be at risk if returned, saying he fled Iran because of his sexual orientation, a crime punishable by death under Iranian law. CNN noted it could not independently verify the account. Earlier deportations in October involved more than 120 Iranians, reportedly transported under security supervision on a chartered flight.

Iranian officials have previously stated that the U.S. intends to deport up to 400 Iranian nationals. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not publicly confirmed these numbers. The deportations come amid a broader shift in U.S. immigration enforcement, with federal agencies expanding arrests of undocumented residents, tightening asylum eligibility, and prioritizing removals from countries deemed high risk.

For decades, the United States has served as a refuge for dissidents, journalists, LGBTQ individuals, and others fleeing repression in Iran following the 1979 revolution. Advocacy groups argue that current U.S. policy breaks with this humanitarian tradition, placing vulnerable asylum seekers at risk.

Human rights organizations warn that many deported Iranians may face imprisonment, persecution, or legal penalties upon return, especially those accused of political dissent or moral offenses prohibited under Iran's conservative legal system.

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