Deportation flight of eight Iranians canceled at last minute
Attorneys say the sudden halt to the Sunday departure raises questions about notice requirements set by a federal judge.
By Victoria Hayes ·
A deportation flight carrying eight Iranian nationals out of the United States was canceled on Sunday morning. The plane had been scheduled to depart from Mesa, Arizona. It was headed to the country of Georgia before moving on to Pakistan. The cancellation happened without an official explanation, according to Ali Rahnama. Rahnama is an attorney with the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund. He spoke with several of the detainees who were on board.
Rahnama said the eight men were loaded onto the aircraft early Sunday. The group included individuals who had been in immigration detention. The flight was part of a plan to send the men to Iran via a third country. Court documents unsealed days ago show the Trump administration discussed these plans in mid-October. The documents note the U.S. intended to use an unnamed third country for the transfer. This was happening while a war continued in Iran.
The lawsuit was filed in July. It claims the U.S. government illegally shared confidential information about asylum seekers with Iranian officials. In the past week, roughly a dozen detained Iranians said they were notified of upcoming flights. Attorneys confirmed those plans with the Department of Homeland Security. The administration did not specify exact dates in the October court records. However, the recent notifications indicated the flights were imminent.
Rahnama stated that the eight detainees on Sunday's flight were visited by a senior official. The official represented the Iranian Interests Section. This is the Iranian representative office located in the Pakistani Embassy in Washington. The official told the men that the Iranian government would transport them from Pakistan to Iran. In the current litigation, at least a dozen detainees have reported similar contacts. They said the officials had knowledge of sensitive details from their asylum claims.
Judge Ana C. Reyes ordered the U.S. government to provide notice before deporting Iranians. She required 24-hour notice of any finalized plans. She also required five days of written notice before any deportation is carried out. Reyes is a nominee of President Joe Biden. She has not yet ruled on the main claims in the case. On Sunday, the defense fund filed documents arguing the administration may have violated these notice directives. The government filed its own documents later that day, but they were sealed from public view.
The Department of Homeland Security declined to comment on the specific flight. A spokesperson said the agency does not discuss prospective removal operations. This includes flight schedules, passenger manifests, and individual case details. The statement noted that the administration is using all lawful options to carry out a large deportation operation. The press office said the agency would not confirm future removal operations.
Between September 2025 and January 2026, three deportation flights took over 100 Iranian nationals to Iran. The new plans highlight the administration's hardline immigration approach. Critics argue that removing people to conflict zones can endanger their lives. Yasmin Chubin, the executive director of the defense fund, said the situation is difficult to comprehend. She stated that individuals may face persecution, torture, or death if removed. She described the potential consequences of removal as irreversible.
Rahnama noted that at least one person on the canceled flight had volunteered to return to Iran. This individual had been detained for nearly two years. He said he wanted to leave what he described as inhumane imprisonment. It is not clear how many other deportees may have volunteered to leave. The fund has called for a halt to the removal flights. They said these would reportedly be the first deportations to Iran since the U.S.-Iran war began.
