US immigration officials worked directly with Iranian representatives to facilitate the deportation of over 100 Iranians in 2025 and 2026, despite escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran. Emails obtained by the National Iranian American Council show that US officials accommodated requests from Iranian representatives for changes to passenger lists and expedited removal processes. The cooperation on deportations continued even during a 12-day conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran in June 2025, with an acting ICE Director describing Iranian removals as a "priority". More than 100 Iranians were deported over three flights between September 2025 and January 2026.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
U.S. immigration officials, specifically ICE, worked with Iranian government officials to deport over 100 Iranians back to Iran in 2025 and 2026, despite escalating tensions between the two countries. The cooperation was revealed through hundreds of leaked emails, which show that Iranian officials had some influence over which immigrants were deported and made last-minute changes to deportation lists. In one instance, an ICE official added a few cases to a list at the request of the Iran Embassy in August 2025. The deportations occurred on three separate flights in September, December 2025, and January 2026. This raises questions about the relationship between the two governments and whether they collaborated on other issues despite their public tensions.
Written for “Cooperation on Deportation Lists” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score -0.35 for article 1627 (medium confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-08-31
Newly disclosed emails show U.S. immigration officials worked directly with Iranian representatives to deport Iranian nationals in 2025, even as tensions between Washington and Tehran were escalating.
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tensions → disclose → Washington
The records, obtained by the National Iranian American Council and released Tuesday, detail cooperation surrounding three removal flights in September and December 2025 and January 2026 that returned more than 100 Iranians.
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that → obtain → Iranians
The emails indicate Iranian representatives requested changes to proposed passenger lists and that U.S. officials sometimes accommodated those requests.
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officials → indicate → requests
“Per request from the Iran Embassy I added a few cases,” an unidentified ICE employee wrote in August 2025.
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employee → add → August
Days later, another official reported meeting with the “Director at the Iranian Embassy” and wrote: “Iran has requested that I amend the previous manifest and expedite the removal process.”
Iranian representatives were still seeking additions three days before the September flight, according to the records.
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representatives → meet → records
The emails indicate that requests made on the day of departure were rejected.
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requests → indicate → departure
In one striking episode, the records show an Iranian national who was not on the final manifest was nevertheless put aboard a flight.
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who → show → flight
“An Iranian not included on the final manifest we sent to the Qatari MOI was boarded on the flight,” one U.S. official wrote.
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official → include → flight
Another responded: “I have no idea how the case/person got through on the plane.”
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person → respond → plane
The emails also show that deporting Iranians remained a Trump administration priority during the 12-day conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran in June 2025.
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deporting → show → June
After President Donald Trump warned on June 16 that “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” then-acting ICE Director Todd Lyons described Iranian removals as a “priority,” according to the records.
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Lyons → warn → records
An ICE employee warned that removals would be difficult during the fighting because Iran was not providing necessary travel documents and its airspace was closed.
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airspace → warn → documents
Marcos Charles, who headed ICE removal operations, nevertheless directed officials to develop a strategy for deporting 58 detained Iranians who had final removal orders.
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who → head → orders
“We need a plan forward ASAP,” Charles wrote.
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Charles → need → plan
Another official called it a “White House priority.”
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official → call → it
The emails also describe ICE facilitating meetings between Iranian representatives and some people held in U.S. immigration detention.
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ICE → describe → detention
Eleven detained Iranians alleged in sworn statements that they were pressured into meetings with Iranian officials who possessed information about their asylum cases.
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who → detain → cases
The lawsuit alleges U.S. authorities improperly disclosed confidential information about asylum seekers to Tehran.
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authorities → allege → Tehran
The Department of Homeland Security has strongly denied that allegation.
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Department → deny → allegation
“These allegations that ICE shared asylum application records with the Iranian government are FALSE,” DHS said in July.
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DHS → share → July
Federal law allows the U.S. government to work with foreign governments to arrange deportations, but regulations restrict disclosure of information that could reveal whether someone has applied for asylum.
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someone → allow → asylum
The newly released emails do not make it clear whether people whose names Iranian representatives requested returned voluntarily.
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representatives → release → people
Previous reporting by The New York Times found asylum seekers were among those returned to Iran and that some deportees said they were removed against their will.
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they → find → will
DHS did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday, according to the report.
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DHS → respond → report
