Was It Legal? Trump Administration Deported 21,000 People To Countries Marked 'Dangerous' By US

Last Updated:May 29, 2026, 21:01 IST

Trump administration deported over 21,000 people, including many children, to counties US deemed "dangerous" for Americans to visit.

The Trump administration deported more than 21,000 people to countries officially considered too dangerous for Americans to visit, raising fresh questions over the legality and ethics of the removals, according to an analysis of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data.

The deportations, carried out between Donald Trump’s inauguration and mid-March, included transfers to conflict-hit or politically unstable nations such as Iran, Haiti, Myanmar and Ukraine, The Guardian reported.

Iran Among The Most Controversial Destinations

The data, obtained by the Deportation Data Project and analysed by The Marshall Project, showed that hundreds of children were among those deported, while most of the individuals reportedly had no criminal convictions.

Iran emerged as one of the most controversial destinations. In the months before US and Israeli strikes on Iran, the administration deported more than 200 people there, despite the US State Department warning Americans not to travel to the country “for any reason" because of security and human rights concerns, the report mentioned.

Rights Groups Question Legality Under US, International Law

Human rights experts and immigration lawyers have criticised the policy, arguing that deporting asylum seekers or vulnerable migrants to unsafe countries may violate both US and international law. Legal experts pointed to the 1980 Refugee Act, which bars the US from returning people to places where they may face persecution. International law also prohibits deporting individuals to countries where they risk torture.

Susan Akram, a law professor at Boston University’s International Human Rights Clinic, described the deportations as “immoral and totally inhumane".

However, supporters of the administration defended the removals. Andrew Arthur, a former immigration judge and fellow at the conservative Center for Immigration Studies, argued that those deported would have had opportunities to contest their removal through the US immigration system.

The US State Department currently lists 23 countries under its highest travel advisory level, warning Americans against visiting them due to war, terrorism, political unrest or other serious threats.

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