US flight carrying migrants enters Central African Republic
A US flight carrying deported migrants from several countries landed in the Central African Republic (CAR) on June 12th, as President Donald Trump expands the use of third-country deportation agreements as part of the US administration’s stricter immigration policy.
According to France 24 via AFP, the flight arrived in the capital Bangui carrying migrants from countries including Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey and Georgia. Reportedly, the deportees have no prior connection to the Central African Republic.
The transfer forms part of a broader US strategy of deporting migrants to third countries rather than returning them directly to their countries of origin. The policy has attracted criticism from human rights organisations and immigration advocates, who argue that it raises concerns over asylum protections and legal accountability, particularly noting the Central African Republic’s ongoing humanitarian situation.
Among those deported was an Iranian pro-democracy activist, whose legal representative, Emily Trostle, sounded the alarm over relocating vulnerable individuals to countries where they have no established status or support networks.
The Central African Republic is one of several African states to have entered into arrangements for deported migrants with the United States. Details of these agreements have remained limited, prompting calls for greater transparency from rights groups and civil society organisations.
Critics of third-country removals argue that such measures risk undermining protections for asylum seekers, while US officials maintain that the policy forms part of broader efforts to strengthen and tighten immigration enforcement.
As Washington deepens cooperation with partner states on migration management, the arrival of deportees in the Central African Republic is likely to intensify scrutiny of the growing use of third-country deportation agreements and their implications for international refugee protections within the framework of human rights law.
France24 via AFP, Maghrebi.org
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