Trump Administration Shared Asylum Data With Iran, Leading to 100 Deportations
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 15
Trump Administration Shared Asylum Data With Iran, Leading to 100 Deportations
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 15
Summary
Federal court filings said the Trump administration gave Iranian officials in Washington sensitive details on detained Iranian asylum seekers, including why they fled, before deporting more than 100 people to Tehran.
The declarations, filed Wednesday in Washington federal court, describe contacts between ICE and Iran from September 2025 to January 2026, shortly before U.S. military action against Iran began in February.
Cyrus Mehri of the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund said an Iranian official told him his office had ongoing communications with ICE and that State Department officials initially shared information about people fleeing Tehran's regime.
The lawsuit argues the disclosures were illegal and exposed dozens of Iranians to possible persecution, while DHS denied the claims again without addressing the new details.
How could the U.S. share asylum data with Iran while also preparing for military conflict and negotiating peace?
How do data brokers legally sell private information to ICE, bypassing sanctuary city policies and privacy protections?
When national security goals clash with asylum laws, what legal guardrails can protect vulnerable individuals from deportation?
Legal Battle Erupts Over Trump Administration’s Alleged Disclosure of Iranian Asylum Data and Mass Deportations
Overview
As of July 2026, the Trump administration faces major legal challenges from the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund and Public Citizen Litigation Group over allegations that, starting in March 2025, it shared confidential asylum application data of Iranian nationals with the Iranian government. This alleged breach led to the deportation of over 100 people, raising serious concerns about legal violations and the safety of asylum seekers. Advocacy groups have strongly criticized these actions, highlighting the grave risks for those deported and emphasizing the urgent need for accountability and stronger protections for vulnerable individuals.