Key points
- An advocacy organisation alleged the US government moved to deport eleven Iranian nationals to Iran via Pakistan.
- The Iranian American Legal Defense Fund claimed the overnight operation breached a binding federal court order requiring advance notice.
- Detainees were reportedly issued fifteen-day Pakistani transit visas ahead of their planned transfer.
According to Anadolu Agency, the US government initiated an overnight operation to deport ten men and one woman to Iran through Islamabad, prompting an emergency court motion from an advocacy group.
Key Details
Anadolu Agency reported that the emergency court motion was filed Sunday by the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund. The legal filing stated that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement transferred the eleven detainees from the Florence Service Processing Center and the Eloy Detention Center to Mesa, Arizona, for an early morning flight out of Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport.
The motion claimed the action violated an October 15 order issued by US District Judge Ana C. Reyes, which mandates five business days of written advance notice prior to removing any Iranian national. The legal group stated that the administration provided only three business days of notice.
Context and Impact
According to the legal filing, detainees were issued 15-day Pakistani transit visas for the planned transfer, which involved a refueling stop in Georgia before onward movement to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The court documents also revealed that an Iranian government official met with seven of the detained men inside an Arizona facility to disclose the itinerary and flight manifest.
Summary and What Next
Anadolu Agency reported that it remained unconfirmed whether the charter flight departed as scheduled following the emergency legal challenge. Further developments depend on the federal court's review of the motion regarding the alleged breach of advance notice requirements.