U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has deported Afghan nationals and other migrants to countries in Africa as part of an expanded third-country deportation strategy, according to reports compiled through multiple news sources.
The flights mark a continuation of the Trump administration's approach to immigration enforcement, which has sought to expedite removals by sending migrants to countries that accept them while their home nations refuse to cooperate with repatriation efforts.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative supporters of the administration say third-country deportations represent a necessary tool when home nations refuse to accept their citizens back. White House officials have argued that Afghan nationals and others cannot remain in the United States indefinitely while countries like Afghanistan decline to issue travel documents.
Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas defended the practice, stating that 'the law is clear: those without legal status must be removed.' Immigration enforcement advocates say African nations willing to accept deportees are providing a service that allows the U.S. to enforce its immigration laws despite diplomatic obstacles.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic lawmakers and immigrant rights advocates have criticized third-country deportations as dangerous and legally questionable. Senator Alex Padilla of California said in a statement that the practice 'abandons our obligations to asylum seekers under international law.' The American Immigration Lawyers Association has called for courts to intervene, arguing that deporting individuals to countries they have no connection to violates due process rights.
Refugee resettlement organizations say Afghan nationals who worked alongside U.S. forces during the two-decade Afghanistan presence are being sent to Africa despite facing persecution risks in unfamiliar countries. Human Rights First documented what it described as 'chain removals' that bypass standard diplomatic channels for repatriation.
What the Numbers Show
ICE does not publicly disclose specific data on third-country deportation flights, making precise statistics difficult to verify independently. The agency has reported overall removal numbers in quarterly reports filed with Congress. According to ICE enforcement statistics, removals have increased significantly since January 2025 compared to the previous administration.
The number of countries accepting third-country deportees remains limited, with Guatemala, Panama, and other Central American nations having previously agreed to accept migrants under similar arrangements during earlier administrations.
The Bottom Line
Third-country deportation flights represent an expansion of immigration enforcement tools that sidestep traditional repatriation channels. Afghan nationals who arrived in the U.S. following the 2021 Taliban takeover face particular complications, as their home country lacks a functioning government recognized by Washington.
Legal challenges to third-country deportations are expected to continue, with civil liberties groups arguing these transfers violate both domestic immigration law and international treaty obligations. Courts have previously blocked similar arrangements, though the current administration has argued it retains broad discretion in removal procedures.