Newly disclosed emails have provided a detailed look into a clandestine operational relationship between U.S. immigration authorities and the Iranian government, revealing that the two nations collaborated to deport more than 100 Iranians between late 2025 and early 2026. The records, obtained by the National Iranian American Council and released publicly on Tuesday, outline the logistical coordination required to organize three specific deportation flights that took place in September 2025, December 2025, and January 2026.
The correspondence indicates that Iranian officials held significant sway over the composition of deportation manifests. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel appeared to accommodate last-minute requests from Tehran regarding which individuals should be prioritized for removal. In one instance from late August 2025, an unnamed ICE official noted they had added specific cases to the flight list at the request of the Iranian Embassy. Shortly thereafter, an official with the same title reported meeting with the Director at the Iranian Embassy to finalize further adjustments to the manifest.
Internal communications show that the pressure to execute these removals originated from the highest levels of the Trump administration. Even during a 12-day military conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran in June 2025, the repatriation of Iranian nationals remained a stated priority. Following a social media warning from President Trump urging citizens to evacuate Tehran, former acting ICE director Todd Lyons designated the removal of Iranian immigrants as a priority in an email to agency leadership, including Marcos Charles, the head of removal operations.
Despite warnings from staff that removals would be difficult due to the closure of Iranian airspace and the ongoing conflict, Charles directed his team to develop a plan for the deportation of 58 individuals who held final removal orders. One official explicitly urged colleagues to find a solution for what was described as a “White House priority.”
The coordination process was often complex. While some communication occurred through Qatari officials who helped charter flights via Doha, other exchanges referenced direct meetings with the Iranian delegation and embassy leadership. The emails also reveal operational errors, such as one instance where an individual not on the approved manifest was mistakenly boarded onto a flight, leaving officials questioning how the oversight occurred.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has vehemently denied allegations that sensitive asylum application records were shared with the Iranian government. In a statement, the agency asserted that such claims are false, emphasizing that ICE works with foreign nations to secure necessary travel documentation for detainees. DHS further stated that a recent removal mission involved 54 Iranian citizens, including individuals identified as terrorists, foreign agents, and human smugglers, all of whom had final removal orders or voluntary departure grants.
The deportations represent a significant shift from the long-standing U.S. practice of providing refuge to Iranian dissidents and exiles following the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Human rights advocates have raised alarms over the policy, noting the Iranian government’s documented history of persecuting political dissidents, women, and religious minorities.
Jamal Abdi, president of the National Iranian American Council, argued that the emails contradict the administration’s stated stance on the Iranian regime. He suggested the primary objective was to maximize the number of deportations regardless of the circumstances. Ryan Costello, the council’s policy director, added that the documents expose an operation that requires further government accountability.
Iranian officials previously indicated in September 2025 that an agreement with the U.S. could result in the return of up to 400 Iranians, many of whom had entered the U.S. illegally across the southern border. While some individuals may have volunteered for repatriation, reports suggest that others were deported against their will, including some who had sought asylum.
The flights proceeded despite the volatile environment, with Iranian officials continuing to submit requests for manifest changes even on the day of departure. Although some of these last-minute requests were reportedly denied, the ongoing collaboration underscores a pragmatic, if controversial, approach to immigration enforcement during a period of heightened international hostility. The report also notes that and Iranian governments despite tensions mounting between them. The report also notes that were sent back to their home country, and U.S. The report also notes that someone with the same job title moved to make another, unspecified change to the deportation list after they said they met with the “Director at the Iranian Embassy, just over a week later. The report also notes that 26 email, just three days before the deportation flight left U.S. The report also notes that which wound up being much smaller than initially planned, it’s not clear who ended up on the flight. The report also notes that coordination of the flights remained a high priority even as ICE officials acknowledged internally that Iranians were fleeing Iran amid the deadly 12-day war with the U.S.
Source: CBS News
