U.S. Congresswoman Warns Against Forced Return of Iranian Asylum Seekers

A U.S. Congresswoman has warned against the forced return of Iranian asylum seekers to Iran under current conditions, citing the threat to their lives amid oppression and executions.

As nationwide protests and widespread crackdowns in Iran have entered a critical phase, Yasmine Ansari, a Democratic representative from Arizona, reported on Friday, January 23, corresponding to Bahman 3, that the U.S. government intends to forcibly return approximately 40 Iranian asylum seekers, some of whom are Christian, to Iran—an action that, according to her, “threatens the lives of these individuals” and must be stopped immediately. This warning is part of a broader protest in the realm of human rights and migration that, given the current situation in Iran, carries dangerous consequences.

Ansari stated in her message that she has received reports indicating that the U.S. government intends to send this group of refugees from Arizona state on a single flight to Iran, an action being carried out without consideration of the real dangers these individuals face.

International reports indicate that the Donald Trump administration has, in recent months, conducted several group deportation flights of Iranian asylum seekers to Iran, including approximately 120 individuals who were expelled from the United States months earlier, with further programs underway.

Meanwhile, human rights activists and immigration lawyers in America have warned that some of those returned on previous flights, including Christian citizens and LGBTQ+ asylum seekers, are individuals who in Iran may face charges of apostasy, torture, or even execution due to their sexual orientation or religious conversion.

This comes as international resolutions and reports attest to the dire state of human rights in Iran, a country where protesters and religious minorities, including Christians and LGBTQ+ community members, face systematic persecution and oppression. Additionally, according to the annual “Open Doors” report from January 2026, Iran ranks among the top ten countries in the world for persecution of Christians.

Within Iran, nationwide protests against policies and economic crisis have been met with harsh responses from security forces, with reports indicating thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests. The suppression of protesters, including religious minority groups and youth, is an inseparable part of Iran’s political landscape, with numerous instances of clear violations of fundamental freedoms such as freedom of expression, assembly, and religious belief documented.

Human rights organizations have also reported internet shutdowns, communication cutoffs, detention without access to lawyers, and forced confessions—measures that further weaken civil liberties and intensify international concerns.

The return of Iranian asylum seekers to Iran, particularly under these critical circumstances, not only creates human rights dangers for individuals facing deportation but can also have broader international consequences:

• Strengthens the position of a regime that suppresses protesters.
• Sends a contradictory message from the U.S. government while claiming to support human rights.
• Endangers the lives of individuals threatened in Iran due to their religious beliefs or sexual identity, including Christian citizens and sexual minorities.

Legal experts and human rights groups have warned that this policy may violate international laws regarding the protection of refugees and requires more serious review.