US Deportation to Central African Republic Sparks Controversy Over Afghan Asylum Seeker

The United States deported a group of 20 individuals, including Afghans and Iranians, to the Central African Republic on Saturday, according to lawyers and advocacy groups. Among those deported was an Afghan man in his early twenties whose brothers had previously assisted the U.S. military in Afghanistan, raising concerns about his safety upon return.

The Afghan man, whose identity remains undisclosed, had been granted protection against deportation to Afghanistan by a U.S. immigration judge, citing fears of Taliban persecution, said his lawyer, Alma David. Court documents reviewed by The Associated Press revealed that the man’s family in Afghanistan had received threats from the Taliban due to his brothers’ prior collaboration with U.S. forces. One brother had served in the Afghan National Army, which worked alongside the U.S. military before the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, while another, a U.S.-trained pilot, was killed by the Taliban.

The deportation flight, which landed in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, included 12 Afghans and eight Iranians, along with individuals from Nepal and Nicaragua, according to Savi Arvey, director of policy, refugee, and immigrant rights at Human Rights First. This marks the second deportation flight to the Central African Republic since June, which carried two dozen migrants, including an Iranian woman facing persecution in her home country.

Immigration advocates argue that these deportations are part of a broader, often secretive strategy employed by the U.S. government under the Trump administration to transfer thousands of individuals to countries where they do not originate. Critics contend that this practice serves as a legal maneuver to indirectly return asylum seekers to the very nations they fled. The Central African Republic has become a notable destination for such deportations, raising concerns among human rights organizations about the safety and well-being of those affected.

Human Rights First and other advocacy groups have condemned the practice, emphasizing that it circumvents standard asylum procedures and places vulnerable individuals at risk. The Biden administration has faced scrutiny over its continuation of certain immigration policies inherited from the Trump era, particularly those involving deportations to third countries.

Legal experts point out that the use of indirect deportation routes complicates accountability and transparency in immigration enforcement. While the U.S. government has defended these measures as part of broader efforts to manage immigration flows, critics argue that the approach disproportionately impacts individuals with legitimate fears of persecution.

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