ICE, Iran quietly worked together on deporting Iranians to Iran, emails show
U.S. immigration officials worked with Iran to deport Iranians in late 2025 and early 2026, newly released emails show, revealing cooperation between the governments despite rising tensions.
Hundreds of emails obtained by the National Iranian American Council and released this week detail how the countries arranged three immigration flights in September and December 2025 and January 2026 that returned more than 100 Iranians to Iran.
The emails show Iranian officials had influence over who was deported, with ICE officials making last-minute changes at Iran’s request. One ICE official wrote that, at the Iranian Embassy’s request, they added cases to a manifest. Another said Iran had requested an amended manifest and expedited removal after meeting the “Director at the Iranian Embassy.”
Iranian officials continued requesting additions shortly before the September flight, though some requests were denied. The flight ultimately carried far fewer people than initially planned.
ICE continued prioritizing the deportations even as officials acknowledged that Iranians were fleeing the country during the 12-day U.S.-Israel war with Iran in June 2025, when Iranian airspace was closed and travel documents were not being issued.
Days after President Trump urged people to evacuate Tehran, then-acting ICE Director Todd Lyons called the repatriation a “priority.” Removal operations chief Marcos Charles ordered staff to develop a plan to deport 58 Iranians in custody, calling it a White House priority.
At least one Iranian was mistakenly boarded despite not being on the final manifest. Emails also show ICE arranging meetings between Iranian officials and detained Iranians.
The cooperation marks a departure from decades of U.S. policy that welcomed Iranian dissidents and exiles after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Human rights activists criticized deportations to Iran, citing its persecution of women, religious minorities and political dissidents.
Iran said in September 2025 that up to 400 Iranians could be returned under an agreement with the Trump administration. Most had allegedly entered through Mexico illegally, while others faced different immigration issues. Some communications went through Qatar, which helped charter the flights, while others involved direct contact with Iranian officials.
It remains unclear whether those selected volunteered for repatriation. Previous New York Times reporting found asylum-seekers among those deported, while others said they were forced to leave.
NIAC President Jamal Abdi said the emails undermine Trump’s claims that the U.S. was fighting Iran to help ordinary Iranians. Policy Director Ryan Costello said the documents demand answers from the highest levels of government.
The emails also echo a July lawsuit in which 11 detained Iranians said they were forced to meet Iranian officials who knew intimate details of their asylum claims. The lawsuit alleges U.S. agencies illegally shared confidential asylum information with Iran.
Federal regulations allow coordination with foreign governments on deportations but prohibit sharing information that could reveal an asylum application. DHS denied the allegations in July, saying claims that ICE shared asylum records with Iran were “FALSE.”
