A US deportation flight carrying two dozen migrants, including Iranians, to the Central African Republic has highlighted the Trump administration's use of third-country agreements to manage deportations, drawing criticism from legal experts and rights advocates.

The $30 million toe in the water

The US Department of Homeland Security has organized a deportation flight to Bangui, Central African Republic, carrying approximately two dozen migrants, including an Iranian woman.. This event is part of the Trump administration's controversial policy of entering agreements with third countries, primarily in Africa and Latin America,to accept individuals facing deportation from the United States .

Advocacy groups and immigration lawyers argue that this practice serves as a legal loophole to circumvent asylum protections and indirectly return seekers to their home countries where they may face persecution.

Who is the unnamed buyer?

Among those slated for removal were nationals from Iran, Jordan, Armenia, Turkey, Georgia, and Afghanistan. three Iranian women, who had previously been granted court-ordered protection from deportation to Iran due to credible fears of persecution based on politics or religion, were initially on the manifest. two received last-minute emergency court orders temporarily halting their removal. A Syrian man also received a similar emergency order.

The Central African Republic, a nation with a history of conflict and extreme poverty, is one of at least nine African states that have agreed to accept such third-country deportations.

Tehran's two-track response

The country's close security ties with Russia, and Russia's relationship with Iran, raise additional concerns for Iranian nationals being transferred there. The U.S.. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not provide comments on the specific operation.

What auditors flagged in the May filing

Advocacy groups and immigration lawyers argue that this practice serves as a legal loophole to circumvent asylum protections and indirectly return seekers to their home countries where they may face persecution.