Overview
- At least 40 Iranian nationals are slated for removal on a charter flight from Arizona as early as Sunday, according to multiple sources.
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security, and the White House did not provide on-the-record comment when contacted by reporters.
- Attorneys report that some slated passengers have pending asylum appeals or lacked full hearings, including two gay partners whom their lawyer warns could face execution if returned.
- The flight would be the first known U.S. deportation to Iran since the recent unrest and the third reported charter under President Trump, following flights reported in September and December.
- Advocates note the operation required Tehran’s agreement to accept returnees even as the president publicly condemns Iran’s leadership and signals possible military moves.