Refugee hopes plummet after US deportation plan

Bitter details have been released about the deportation of hundreds of Iranians from the United States, who, according to their own statements, were put on planes under death threats, handcuffed, and dragged, and many Christians who were returned to Iran, indicating the collapse of their hope.

The New York Times reported in late September 2025 that the US government, in cooperation with Iran, returned dozens of Iranians to Iran on a charter flight from Louisiana. According to the deportees' recently published accounts, US agents tied them up, dragged them onto the plane against their will.

One of them, Mehrdad Dalir, 34, said: “They told me either you get on the plane yourself, or we will tie you up and send you back.” He also added about one of his fellow passengers: “When the bus reached the steps of the plane at the Alexandria airport in Louisiana, he was terrified and crying and shouting: ‘They will kill me in Iran. Don’t send me back, have mercy.’” According to Mehrdad Dalir, when this person refused to board the plane, several officers carried him up the steps and to his seat.

Another Christian, who cannot be named for security reasons and will be referred to as “A.E.”, tells Mehrdad Dalir about that day and how he was terrified of returning to Iran. “A.E.” said: “When I arrived at the airport on another bus, I saw officers dragging Mr. Dalir to the plane. He said that Mehrdad locked the bus doors on himself to resist and tied his hands to the seats. However, the immigration officers broke down the bus door and dragged him out. When Mehrdad realized he was a Christian, he shouted at that time: “You have to kill me before you take me to the plane.”

Dalir and at least eight others, including 16 Christian citizens and a number of political dissidents, had repeatedly warned American officials that their return to Iran would pose a "life-threatening risk," yet the US government claims that all of these individuals had received a "final deportation form" or "voluntary departure" order and were entitled to a fair trial.

 The operation, which lasted about 50 hours and included stops in Puerto Rico, Cairo, and Doha, is considered the first such cooperation between Tehran and Washington in the deportation of Iranians.

 Tehran has announced that more than 400 Iranians in the United States are facing deportation and more flights are being considered.

 From a human rights perspective, organizations have warned that returning those who may face persecution, imprisonment, or even punishment in their country of origin may violate the principle of "non-refoulement."

This issue is of particular importance to the Christian community in Iran and abroad, as some of the deportees, including Christian citizens, have faced prosecution, interrogation, passport confiscation, or travel bans in Iran.

An immigration attorney representing one of these returning Christian citizens stated, “The current administration is not prioritizing the cases of deportees and is ignoring the grave dangers facing Iranians seeking refuge at our borders.”

The teaching of "authentic Christianity," the preservation of human dignity, and hospitality in Christian teachings, are in conflict with operations such as this forced return, as returning to a country from which a person fled due to religion or belief may make their conditions more difficult.

The United States has issued statements stating that all legal procedures have been followed, and Iran has stated that the returns are unhindered. However, the accounts of those who have been returned show a contradiction between the facts on the ground and official statements.

It should be noted that this issue goes beyond a normal immigration operation, as it deals with individuals who may face serious danger in Iran due to their religion, belief, or sexual orientation.