Central African Religious Leaders Question US Deportations: 'They Have Already Suffered Enough'

BANGUI, Central African Republic — Religious leaders in the Central African Republic have expressed shock and dismay after the United States deported at least two dozen migrants from countries including Iran, Afghanistan, and Turkey to the landlocked African nation last week, questioning why people who fled persecution were sent to a country still healing from its own sectarian violence.

The deportations, carried out under a bilateral agreement between Washington and Bangui, included Christian converts, an Iranian prodemocracy activist, and others who had been granted legal protection against return to their countries of origin. Human rights groups say several of the deportees had established credible fears of persecution including torture and death in their home nations.

"I was surprised to hear that migrants who fled persecution in their own countries had been deported to ours," said Jean Ngaba, an evangelical pastor in southern Central African Republic who works on grassroots peace and reconciliation initiatives. "It is inhumane for any government to do this to people who have already suffered because of their beliefs or political views."

Third-Country Deportations Under Scrutiny

The Trump administration has pursued third-country deportation agreements with several African and Latin American nations, allowing the transfer of migrants from countries that refuse to accept their own nationals. In this case, the deportees included individuals from Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Georgia, and Turkey — nations with which the US has limited or no formal repatriation arrangements.

The Iranian American Legal Defense Fund has warned that deporting Iranians to the Central African Republic is potentially fatal, citing close ties between the African country and Moscow, a key ally of Tehran.

The deportees are temporarily housed in apartments in Bangui while authorities determine their next steps. The International Organization for Migration is providing post-arrival humanitarian assistance at the request of the Central African government but maintains it is not involved in the US deportation process itself.

Faith Leaders Offer Welcome

Cardinal Dieudonné Nzapalainga, the Catholic archbishop of Bangui and an internationally recognized figure for interfaith peace, confirmed he was aware of the arrivals and said the Catholic church would be willing to assist the migrants if called upon.

So far, the government has not tasked any church, mosque, or faith-based organization with receiving the deportees, though religious leaders across the country have signaled their readiness to help.

"As religious leaders, we are ready to assist them if we are called upon or if we meet them," Ngaba said.

Cleric Moussa Ibrahim, a Bangui-based Muslim leader who has worked to promote interfaith reconciliation, questioned the practical realities facing the deportees.

"How are they going to survive here?" he asked. "Will they stay temporarily or eventually move somewhere else? These are the questions we are asking as religious leaders because opportunities are limited, and the environment can be difficult for both Christians and Muslims, especially for people who have converted from one faith to another."

A Nation Still Healing

The Central African Republic has experienced over a decade of cyclical violence between the predominantly Muslim Séléka coalition and the largely Christian and animist anti-balaka militias. Although a cease-fire reached in late 2025 reduced large-scale fighting, the country remains among those where Christians face significant persecution according to the Open Doors World Watch List 2026, particularly in areas where government control is weak.

Ngaba said people of faith have a responsibility to welcome those who have lost their homes and communities.

"They have already suffered enough," he said. "If they come to us, we will welcome them because that is what our faith teaches us. Before they are migrants or deportees, they are human beings, and every human being deserves compassion and dignity."