Second Group of Iranian Nationals Deported from US Amid Immigration Crackdown

The United States has deported a second group of Iranian nationals, officials in Tehran have reported, as the Trump administration continues its tough immigration enforcement efforts.

A chartered plane carrying more than 50 Iranians flew out of Mesa, Arizona, on Sunday, traveling through Cairo and Kuwait before arriving in Iran, according to reports.

Tehran's foreign ministry confirmed the Iranian nationals' return, although US immigration officials could not 'confirm or deny a flight' due to security concerns.

The first deportation flight occurred in late September, a rare moment of cooperation between Iran and the US. Many Iranian nationals have sought refuge in the US due to fears of persecution at home.

Father Joseph Bach, of the Borderland Companions of Hope, a support group for migrants, disclosed that his contacts within an Arizona detention facility indicated that Christian converts were among those removed, along with individuals identifying as LGBT, both groups facing acute legal and social risks in Iran.

Father Joseph condemned the deportations, calling them 'the most unchristian thing to do' and expressed his concern, labeling the flights as 'death flights.'

Iranian authorities aided the repatriation efforts, with an Iranian consular official stating that the deported individuals had 'announced their willingness for return following the continuation of anti-immigration and discriminative policy against foreign nationals, particularly Iranians, by the United States.' However, one detainee revealed to the BBC that not all deportees were willing to return.

A person on the potential deportation list described crossing into the US from Mexico earlier this year and expressed fear for their life if returned to Iran.

The latest deportations occur amidst deteriorating US-Iran relations, exacerbated by US military actions against Iranian nuclear facilities in June. This highlights the hardline immigration stance of the Trump administration, which has made border security and reducing unauthorized migration central to its policy agenda.