Trump plans to deport Iranian dissidents and LGBTQ activists despite death risk

The first US flight returning Iranian dissidents to Tehran since December protests raises human rights concerns

President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to send Iranian dissidents and LGBTQ activists back to Iran, starting Sunday, according to sources cited by CNN. This would mark the first US deportation flight to Tehran since the latest wave of protests began on December 28 and the third overall under the Trump administration.

Legal representatives warn of extreme risks for those being deported. Two of the Iranian nationals informed they will be on the next flight are a couple who, if returned, face “a very high likelihood” of execution because of their sexual orientation, said Bekah Wolf, their attorney with the American Immigration Council.

“Being sent back could mean the death penalty by hanging,” Wolf told CNN. “When they fled in 2021, they had been arrested by the Iranian ‘morality police’ for being gay and persecuted for this conduct, which is punishable by death under Iranian law.”

The plan to repatriate these individuals has drawn immediate human rights concerns. Advocates argue that deporting dissidents and LGBTQ activists under these circumstances would violate international protections and expose them to imminent life-threatening harm. Human rights groups have called for urgent intervention to prevent the flight and ensure the safety of the individuals involved.

“This is the first step in a series of deportations targeting vulnerable groups in Iran,” Wolf added. “The administration must consider the grave risk to their lives before taking any action.” The deportation plan underscores ongoing tensions between US immigration enforcement and human rights obligations in cases involving political or sexual orientation persecution.

Trump plans to deport Iranian dissidents and LGBTQ activists, despite warnings from legal counsel, human rights organizations, and advocacy groups concerned about the potentially fatal consequences of forced repatriation. The upcoming flight is set to be a key test of the administration’s handling of sensitive asylum and deportation cases.

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