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Court documents show Trump administration held secret Iran talks on deportations

Unsealed filings describe contacts with Iranian officials during the war, while a lawsuit alleges asylum data sharing that DHS denies.

Published Nov 5, 2026 · 22:20 UTC3 reports

The short version

  • Unsealed court documents show the Trump administration held secret talks with Iran on deporting Iranians during the war.[PBS NewsHour]
  • As recently as mid-October, the administration reportedly said it planned to deport Iranians through an unnamed third country, with timing unclear.[PBS NewsHour]
  • A federal judge ordered 24-hour notice of finalized deportation plans and five days' written notice before any removal.[PBS NewsHour]
  • An ongoing lawsuit alleges immigration agencies shared asylum seekers' data with Iran; DHS denies this, and the government says removals follow lawful orders.[PBS NewsHour]

Key facts

  • Court documents unsealed Thursday show the Trump administration held secret talks with Iran on deporting Iranians while the war continued.[PBS NewsHour]
  • As of mid-October, the administration said it planned to deport Iranians through an unnamed third country, but the timing was unclear.[PBS NewsHour]
  • Judge Ana Reyes ordered 24-hour notice of finalized deportation plans and five days' written notice before any deportation.[PBS NewsHour]
  • A Justice Department attorney said the government is executing lawful orders of removal.[PBS NewsHour]
  • An ongoing lawsuit alleges U.S. immigration agencies shared confidential information about Iranian asylum seekers with the Iranian government; DHS denies sharing asylum application records.[PBS NewsHour]
  • Emails show U.S. and Iranian officials worked together to arrange flights returning more than 100 Iranians in September and December 2025 and January 2026.[PBS NewsHour]
  • The Iranian American Legal Defense Fund said at least 12 Iranian detainees were contacted in the past week about an upcoming deportation flight to Iran.[The Guardian]

What remains uncertain

  • It remains unclear when the administration intended to carry out any deportation of Iranians.[PBS NewsHour]
  • DHS denies sharing asylum records with Iran, while the lawsuit's allegations remain unproven in the reporting.[The Guardian · PBS NewsHour]
  • The claim that at least 12 detainees were notified of a deportation flight comes from the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund and is not independently verified.[The Guardian]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.