The $85 million humanitarian gamble

The U .S. has allocated $85 million to the International Organization for Migration for operations in the Central African Republic, where migrants are being deported under third-country agreements. According to the Associated Press, the move is part of a broader immigration enforcement strategy, but critics argue it serves as a loophole to undermine asylum claims.

Attorneys claim that deporting migrants to a country with no connection or supporrt network effectively abandons them, and may lead to their eventual return to the nations they fled.. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the specific operation, citing security reasons.

The Central African Republic, one of the world's poorest nations, has been affected by prolonged conflict and hosts Russian security influence, raising additional concerns for migrants sent there.

Who is the unnamed buyer?

The Trump administration has deported migrants, including Iranians with asylum protections, to the Central African Republic under agreements with third countries. According to immigration lawyers, these deportations serve as a legal loophole to indirectly force asylum seekers back to their home countries.

Among those scheduled for removal were individuals from Iran, Jordan, Armenia, Turkey, Georgia, and Afghanistan. Two Iranian women received emergency court orders temporarily halting their deportation, as judges considered whether the government's actions were lawful.

An echo of Sydney's 2024 institutional buy-up

The use of third-country agreements to deport migrants has drawn condemnation from legal experts who call it a loophole to undermine asylum claims. The Associated Press reports that the Trump administration has deported migrants to third countries, including the Central African Republic,as part of a broader immigration enforcement strategy.

According to immigration lawyers, these deportations serve as a legal loophole to indirectly force asylum seekers back to their home countries. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the specific operation, citing security reasons.

What auditors flagged in the May filing

The report was contributed to by journalists from Dakar, Washington, and Casablanca. Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. The International Organization for Migration will provide post-arrival humanitarian assistance at the request of Central African authorities.