US continued Iran deportation talks during war, court records show
Court documents cited by the Associated Press show that the Trump administration maintained deportation discussions with Iran during Operation Epic Fury, as Iranian detainees received notices of possible removal.
By Yuki Kaminski ·
The Trump administration continued discussions with Iran about returning Iranian nationals during Operation Epic Fury, according to court documents reported by the Associated Press on Friday, November 6. The records showed that officials were pursuing deportations through a third country as recently as mid-October, without identifying that country or specifying when removals would take place.
The Iranian American Legal Defense Fund said at least a dozen Iranians in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention received notification over the past week that they would be deported to Iran. Some were told their removal could happen as early as Sunday, according to the organization and the AP. Discussions with Iranian leaders began last year, before the war, and continued during the conflict as officials explored ways to carry out deportations.
Judge Ana Reyes ordered the administration to notify the court within 24 hours of finalizing any deportation plans and provide five days of written notice before carrying them out. At an October 15 hearing, she questioned the prospect of returning people to a country at war with the United States, citing President Donald Trump's descriptions of Iran and his statements about the killing of protesters.
Justice Department attorney Dimitar Georgiev-Remmel defended the administration's position, telling Reyes: “The government is executing lawful orders of removal.” He also said no specific deportation date had been established. Reyes warned that failure to comply with her advance-notice requirements would lead her to initiate contempt proceedings.
According to the legal defense fund, an Iranian representative office at Pakistan's embassy in Washington contacted detainees about a forthcoming flight to Iran via Pakistan. Department of Homeland Security officials also notified some detainees about the flight, the organization said. It said none of those concerned received written information about their deportation.
The fund's executive director, Yasmine Chubin, said one detainee attempted suicide after learning he could be returned to Iran. She called for the flight to be stopped, saying asylum applicants and others faced possible death upon return while US bombing of Iran was intensifying.
In its lawsuit concerning the asylum seekers, the fund alleges that the administration disclosed confidential information to Iranian authorities, violating national immigration laws and putting scores of Iranian nationals at risk. It also alleges that US and Iranian officials worked together to pressure Iranians held by ICE to agree to return.
DHS denied providing Iranian authorities with asylum application records. Reyes indicated that the department might have disclosed confidential information to Iranian leaders, but expressed skepticism about the allegation that it maintained a policy of sharing private records. The State Department did not respond to the AP's request for comment.
The report comes after Iran killed hundreds of people involved in demonstrations in January 2026. Deportations of Iranians from the United States are uncommon because of the lack of relations between the two countries and concerns that people forced to return could face persecution or death.
