US Deports Iranians After Rare Deal

The Trump administration's latest deportation deal is with a surprise country: Iran. The US has sent about 100 Iranians detained in this country back to their homeland, reports the New York Times. The plane reportedly left Louisiana late Monday, heading to Iran by way of Qatar, marking one of the largest group deportations of Iranians by the US in years. Another 300 will eventually follow under the deal, reports the AP, citing Iranian state television.

The identities and backgrounds of those aboard remain largely unknown, though officials say the group includes both men and women, some of whom are couples. Most were detained after crossing into the US illegally from Mexico, according to the Iranian state TV report. Several had spent months in detention and volunteered to leave, while others were reportedly sent back without having seen a judge or having their asylum claims heard. Most, officials say, were denied asylum.

The rare cooperation between Washington and Tehran came after months of negotiations, according to the Times, which frames the issue as "one of the most stark efforts yet by the Trump administration to deport migrants no matter the human rights conditions they might be sent into." However, Iranian officials reportedly assured their American counterparts that the deportees would not face repercussions once home.