Original Date Announced

The New York Times reports that the Trump administration deported about 55 Iranians to Iran under an agreement between the two countries. Many deportees were in U.S. detention facilities for months. While some accepted removal to Iran to avoid removal to a third country like Sudan or Somalia, others were forcibly removed. According to Iranian officials, in nearly every case asylum requests had already been denied or no asylum hearing had yet taken place, raising questions about whether protection screenings took place and/or if everyone was subject to a final, executable order of removal. The U.S. plans to deport 400 additional Iranians to Iran in coming months. Although the Iranian government promised returnees would not be harmed, immigration advocates point to the country's record of human rights violations and economic crisis.

Trump 2.0 [ID #1993]

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.11.11 DHS - X post confirming removal of 54 Iranians

DHS on X confirmed that the Trump administration deported 54 Iranians to Iran in September 2025. The post did not address whether the deportations occurred through an agreement between the two countries. DHS stated that those removed "had a final order of removal or an order granting voluntary departure," and "[a]ll individuals were given due process." In warning, DHS also stated "if you attempt to cross the border illegally, Customs and Border Protection is going to arrest you."

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2025.12.07 Reported: U.S. Deports Second Planeload of Iranians, Officials Say - New York Times

The New York Times reports that the Trump administration deported around 50 Iranian nationals to Iran on a second deportation flight. An Iranian official said that the deportees entered the U.S. through its southern border, lingered in detention facilities for months, and had their asylum requests denied.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2026.01.26 Reported: Trump admin deports Iranians for first time since brutal crackdown on protests - CNN News

CNN reports that the administration deported over a dozen Iranians on the first known deportation flight since anti-government protests in Iran, in which thousands of people have been killed. This is the third deportation flight to Iran after the bilateral agreement, and more are expected.

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2026.07.07 Complaint - IALDF v. Rubio

The Iranian American Legal Defense Fund (IALDF) filed a lawsuit alleging that the Trump administration has been sharing confidential information of Iranian asylum seekers with the Iranian government in violation of DHS regulations at 8 C.F.R. §§ 208.6 and 236.1(e). The complaint alleges that ICE and Iranian government officials have been holding monthly meetings since March 2025 to share "immigration records, such as final orders of removal, applications for relief, and asylum applications and related information" of Iranians in ICE custody, and that the United States has periodically sent mailed or hand-delivered such files to the Iranian government. The complaint further alleges that ICE has provided the Iranian government with immigration documents pertaining to individual detainees and asked the Iranian government to consider accepting the return of the detainees to Iran.

The complaint states that many Iranians seek refuge in the United States "because of the grave dangers they face in Iran," and that the disclosure puts those who are subject to removal to Iran at risk of persecution, torture, and death. The complaint requests that the court vacate the policy under the Administrative Procedure Act. IALDF v. Rubio, No. 1:26-cv-02375 (D.D.C.).

**Link to case here. Our litigation entries generally report only the initial complaint and any major substantive filings or decisions. For additional information, CourtListener provides access to PACER and all available pleadings. Other sites that track litigation in more detail or organize cases by topic include Civil Rights Clearinghouse, Justice Action Center, National Immigration Litigation Alliance, and Just Security**

Subsequent Trump and Court Action

2026.07.15 Motion for Preliminary Injunction - IALDF v. Rubio

The IALDF filed a motion for a preliminary injunction under the APA to enjoin the administration's policy of sharing confidential information about Iranian asylum seekers with the Iranian government. Among the declarations filed, one includes an account of a conversation between an unnamed Iranian official and ICE in which the U.S. government indicated that its goal was to "get rid of all Iranians" held in immigration detention. The filings also include declarations from 11 Iranians who said they were forced into interviews with Iranian officials while in ICE detention. IALDF v. Rubio, No. 1:26-cv-02375 (D.D.C.).

**Link to case here. See litigation note above**