Secret Deportation Coordination
Leaked Emails Reveal U.S.-Iran Cooperation on Deportation Flights Amid Diplomatic Tensions
Key Points
ICE officials documented explicit requests from the Iranian Embassy to add deportation cases and to amend the manifest to expedite removals, illustrating direct influence over who was sent back.
There was at least one instance where an individual not on the final flight manifest was nevertheless carried on the flight, with ICE staff wondering how the case got through the system.
Iranian authorities had on-the-ground access to detainees, including visits by the director of Iran’s Interests Section, indicating a direct channel into U.S. deportation decisions.
Some communications about the deportations were routed through Qatar, with Qatari officials helping arrange flights via Doha.
Public reporting indicates asylum-seekers were among those deported to Iran, underscoring concerns about voluntariness and due process in these operations.
The U.S. and Iran coordinated deportation flights between September 2025 and January 2026, with newly released emails showing Iranian officials directly influenced which Iranian immigrants were sent home. More than 100 Iranian nationals were deported across three flights, according to PBS. The communications reveal Iran's embassy made last-minute requests to add cases and speed up removals—and ICE officials often honored them, raising concerns about due process and transparency in these operations.
Even as the two countries remained public adversaries, they maintained a quiet working relationship on deportations. Iranian officials visited detainees in U.S. custody, and some requests were routed through Qatar and Iran's Interests Section via the Pakistani Embassy, The Columbian reported. The emails expose how Iran shaped the deportation process despite escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Iran's Embassy Shaped Who Got Deported
Newly released emails show Iranian officials submitted explicit requests to add people to deportation lists and speed up removals. ICE staff documented these requests and often complied with them. MEAWW reported that Iran influenced which of its citizens were returned from the U.S. At least three additional Iranians were added to the September 2025 flight just days before departure.
In some cases, ICE officials even wondered how individuals ended up on planes without proper vetting. One person not on the final manifest was nevertheless carried on a flight, raising questions about how the case slipped through the system. Iranian officials had direct access—the director of Iran's Interests Section visited detainees in custody, creating a direct channel into U.S. deportation decisions.
A Secret Channel Operating Amid U.S.-Iran Tensions
Despite public hostility, the U.S. and Iran maintained a working relationship on these deportations. Washington Examiner reported that ICE coordinated the flights with Iran before escalating regional conflict. Some communications were routed through intermediaries like Qatar, with Qatari officials helping arrange flights via Doha. This shadow diplomacy happened while the two nations remained official adversaries.
Iranian authorities signaled they could accept up to 400 potential returns, though actual deportations fell far short at over 100 people. The three flights operated between September 2025 and January 2026. LA Times noted the emails reveal U.S. immigration officials worked with Iran despite ongoing tensions. The coordination raises serious questions about how publicly hostile nations can quietly cooperate on sensitive matters.
Asylum-Seekers Among Those Deported to Iran
The deportations included asylum-seekers who may not have voluntarily returned to Iran. Public reporting indicates some of those sent back had fled Iran seeking protection. This raises major due process concerns: Did people understand they could refuse? Were they properly informed of their rights? The emails suggest these decisions happened with limited oversight.
The disclosure exposes how deportation operations can operate with minimal transparency. Iranian requests continued up to flight departure. Some were denied only days before planes took off, but others were granted despite last-minute changes. The system allowed a foreign government to shape U.S. immigration enforcement in real time—a practice that troubles immigration advocates and lawmakers alike.
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