US-Iran Deportation Deal: ICE Changed Flight Lists at Tehran’s Request

US immigration officials reportedly coordinated directly with Iranian representatives to arrange three deportation flights involving more than 100 Iranian nationals, with Tehran requesting changes to passenger manifests.

ICE Coordinated With Iran

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials maintained a direct communication channel with Iranian authorities while organising the deportation of more than 100 Iranian nationals, according to newly released internal emails.

The records, obtained by the National Iranian American Council and reported by The Intercept and the Associated Press, detail coordination between ICE officials and Iranian representatives for three repatriation flights.

The disclosures are notable because Washington and Tehran remain deeply divided politically, while tensions between the two countries have intensified amid the wider West Asia conflict.

Tehran Requested Manifest Changes

According to the emails, Iranian representatives requested last-minute changes to the passenger lists for the deportation flights.

In one message, an unnamed ICE official wrote that, at the request of the Iranian Embassy, additional cases had been added and the previous manifest amended to accelerate the removal process.

The correspondence indicates that Iranian officials communicated directly with ICE personnel over individual cases and sought changes shortly before flights departed.

The records therefore suggest that the repatriation process involved a level of direct coordination between the two governments despite their broader confrontation.

Qatar Helped Facilitate Flights

Qatar reportedly played a role in facilitating the charter flights, which travelled through Doha.

ICE officials communicated with individuals described in the records as the “Director at the Iranian Embassy” and members of an Iranian delegation in the United States.

The coordination continued despite logistical complications, including concerns over airspace restrictions and delays in obtaining travel documents.

US immigration officials nevertheless continued to treat the deportation flights as a priority.

Detainees Raised Concerns

The internal records have also raised questions about how some Iranian detainees were handled before their removal.

At least one individual was reportedly included on a flight manifest by mistake. Legal declarations filed by detainees in US federal court also stated that some individuals were required to meet Iranian government representatives while they were in ICE custody.

The disclosures have prompted scrutiny over whether detainees were given adequate safeguards and whether the involvement of Iranian officials affected the normal deportation process.

Rights Groups Question Process

Immigration and Iranian-American advocacy groups have criticised the reported coordination.

Jamal Abdi, president of the National Iranian American Council, told the Associated Press that the disclosures suggested the priority was removing as many people as possible, regardless of the circumstances.

The criticism is particularly significant because some Iranian nationals in the US may have sought asylum or protection based on concerns about political persecution or other risks if returned to Iran.

The reported involvement of Iranian representatives has therefore raised broader questions about the treatment of asylum seekers and dissidents.

US-Iran Tensions Continue

The deportation coordination took place against a backdrop of severe tensions between Washington and Tehran.

The two governments have remained at odds over Iran's nuclear programme, sanctions and regional security, while the US, Israel and Iran have been involved in military confrontations during the wider West Asia crisis.

Against this backdrop, the direct communication between ICE officials and Iranian representatives stands out as an unusual area of practical cooperation.

The records show that diplomatic hostility did not prevent US immigration authorities from maintaining operational contact with Iranian officials over deportation arrangements.

Questions Over Deportation Policy

The disclosures could intensify debate in the United States over how the Trump administration is handling Iranian nationals facing removal.

The central questions include how passenger lists were altered, why Iranian representatives were involved in individual cases and whether detainees were adequately protected during the process.

The US Department of Homeland Security had not issued a public response to the disclosed emails at the time of the report.

The documents do not, by themselves, establish that every deportation involved improper conduct. However, they provide evidence of direct operational coordination between US immigration officials and Iranian representatives and raise questions about the transparency and safeguards surrounding the removals.