Immigrants deported to third countries face legal limbo

Cuban immigrant Yasmany Moreno de Armas is among approximately 25,000 people deported to third countries under the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Moreno de Armas, who had lived in the U.S. for ten years, was detained in Louisiana and subsequently flown to the Central African Republic, a nation categorized as an extreme-risk destination due to terrorism, violent crime, and armed conflict.

Third-country deportations involve removing immigrants to foreign nations where they hold no citizenship or personal ties. While the Immigration and Nationality Act permits the Department of Homeland Security to deport migrants to third countries if they face persecution in their origin country or if their home country cannot receive them, advocates note that these removals are rare. However, recent policy shifts have increased the frequency of these deportations through formal agreements.