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
The Aporia
