Deportation to Central African Republic

The United States on Saturday deported dozens of people to the Central African Republic, including an Afghan man whose brothers collaborated with the US military, according to his lawyer and advocacy groups. The Afghan man, in his early twenties, had been granted protection against deportation to Afghanistan by a US judge due to fears of persecution by the Taliban, said his lawyer, Alma David. Advocacy organisations AfghanEvac, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Human Rights First confirmed his deportation.

The flight landed in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, carrying 12 Afghans and eight Iranians,as well as several people from Nepal and Nicaragua, said Savi Arvey,director of policy,refugee and immigrant rights at Human Rights First.

Family Background and Threats

According to court documents seen by The Associated Press, the Afghan man's family in Afghanistan had received threats from the Taliban because of his brothers' involvement in supporting the US military. One of his brothers lives in the United States and served in the Afghan National Army,which collaborated with the US military before the Taliban seized power in 2021,David said. Another brother was a pilot trained by the US and was killed by the Taliban,she added. The New York Times,which identified the Afghan man only as Khalil,reported that his sister and father also worked alongside US forces.

Broader Immigration Context

The Trump administration has deported thousands of people to two dozen countries that are not their own through often secret agreements,advocates say. Immigration lawyers say the practice is being used as a legal loophole to indirectly return some asylum seekers to countries they fled. Saturday's flight was the second to the Central African Republic since June,according to advocates,which carried two dozen migrants,including an Iranian woman facing persecution. Human Rights First said it was the third deportation flight from the US to the Central African Republic this year.