Trump Administration Accused of Violating Court Order by Rushing To Deport 11 Iranians Before Dawn

Lawyers for Iranian detainees alleged that President Donald Trump's administration planned to deport 11 people before dawn on Sunday, 8 November 2026. In an overnight filing in Washington, DC, they raised concerns that the operation could breach a federal court's advance-notice requirements.

The warning followed proceedings in a lawsuit brought by the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund. On 15 October, US District Judge Ana C. Reyes required officials to provide advance notification of planned removals.

According to the lawyers, the proposed flight involved 10 men and one woman held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Their destination was Iran, although the reported itinerary included stops in two other countries.

Trump Administration Faces Allegations Over Deportation Flight to Iran

The Iranian American Legal Defense Fund said it learned on Saturday evening that ICE planned to remove the detainees at approximately 4 a.m. Sunday.

According to the filing, the aircraft would refuel in the country of Georgia before continuing to Islamabad, Pakistan. The detainees were reportedly scheduled for onward transfer to Iran on Tuesday, 10 November.

The lawyers also said the group had received temporary Pakistani visas valid for 15 days.

The organisation described its submission as a 'notice of apparent violation' of the court's 15 October order.

At the earlier hearing, Reyes required the government to notify the court within 24 hours of finalising deportation plans. Officials also had to provide five days' written notice before carrying out removals.

Whether the administration complied with those requirements in this instance remained unclear.

The distinction is important. An allegation of non-compliance does not establish that the court found officials in contempt.

The court had also denied the plaintiffs' request for a preliminary injunction on 20 October, although separate notification requirements remained relevant to the dispute.

Iranian Detainee's Wife Discloses Alleged Deportation Arrangements

The reported flight plans emerged through information supplied by the US citizen's wife, according to the filing.

Her husband reportedly learned about the operation during a meeting with an Iranian government official at an Arizona detention facility on Friday, 6 November.

The official allegedly met him and six other detained men, announced the departure schedule and displayed a flight list when asked.

The document reportedly contained the detainee's name and those of 10 other Iranian nationals.

According to the lawyers, the man had been in ICE custody since October 2025. He was transferred from Georgia to Louisiana on 28 October and then to Arizona on 1 November.

The broader lawsuit alleges that US immigration officials improperly shared confidential asylum information with Iranian authorities.

The Department of Homeland Security has denied sharing asylum application records with the Iranian government.

The plaintiffs argue that such disclosures could expose asylum seekers and their families to persecution or other serious harm.

Documents obtained by the Associated Press also describe communications between US and Iranian officials concerning deportation arrangements, including potential routes through third countries.

Whether Sunday's planned flight departed remained unclear. The records reviewed did not establish that a court had ruled on the alleged violation.