One of the areas where President Trump has made an early mark is in ramping up harsh immigration enforcement measures. These steps further complicate the already precarious and often perilous situation of Iranian refugees.
The triggers for Iranians leaving their country as refugees are many and often overlap. Internal repression and bloody crackdowns have left many politically-active Iranians with no choice but to leave or face harsh punishments. Economically, the country has suffered significantly under harsh sanctions, with hyperinflation pushing many into poverty and driving migratory flows. Others, practicing minority religious faiths, face discrimination and hope to start anew in a country with greater tolerance for some religious sects.
There are many different paths that refugees often take. A viral social media post and recent news reporting have shed light on Iranians who sought to enter the U.S. through the southern border and seek asylum in the United States. 120 asylum seekers were handcuffed and deported by the U.S. to Panama, several of whom were Iranian. These individuals, having entered the U.S. via the Mexican border, were detained and forcibly transported by U.S. military aircraft. This severe action is not unique to Iranians; refugees have consistently been among the most vulnerable under travel bans. At the height of the previous ban, admissions of Iranian refugees were virtually wiped out.
One of Trump’s new Executive Orders forces the Departments of State and Homeland Security to pause refugee admissions for at least 90 days. A separate ban makes it far harder if not impossible for many individuals to seek and secure asylum through the southern border of the United States, as attempted by the asylum-seekers deported to Panama. These orders solidify an increasing trend: that the United States is increasingly turning its back on refugees and making it far harder for many – including Iranians – to gain admittance to the United States. During the Obama administration, more than 3,000 Iranian refugees were regularly admitted to the U.S. each fiscal year. Under Trump’s first refugee bans, however, this number plummeted to less than 200 Iranian refugees admitted per year. This number rebounded ever so slightly under the Biden administration, including in the wake of the Women, Life, Freedom movement. But the high water mark was reached in FY23, when only 743 Iranian refugees were admitted – still a far cry from what was achieved under the Obama administration. Many seeking refugee admission still languish without an answer – and it is highly likely even fewer will be admitted in the years to come.
In Turkey, the situation for Iranian refugees has long been difficult and is growing more dire. Recent estimates suggest that around 10,000 Iranian refugees reside in Turkey, many of whom live in precarious conditions. They face a multitude of challenges—from unsafe, informal labor and limited legal protections to uncertain futures. While some marginalized groups face additional vulnerabilities, the broader community of Iranian refugees endures significant hardship. Many have spent years in legal and social limbo, waiting for acceptance by the United Nations or Western nations, and are continually at risk of deportation. If forced back to Iran, many would face arrest, imprisonment, and even torture.
If refugee bans go forward in the U.S. and other nations follow suit, Iranian refugees in Turkey will suffer further, as tightened border restrictions and the dismantling of legal pathways force them onto perilous, illegal routes—heightening their exposure to violence, exploitation, and even death.
Interviews with refugees paint a grim picture. One individual reported that, despite having his case under review since 2017, he was still unable to leave Turkey for years due to drastically reduced processing times, only recently settling in Canada. Another refugee, who spent nine years in Turkey, recounted how changes in U.S. refugee quotas delayed his prospects for resettlement—not only in America but also in Europe, which eventually became his sole option. Mina, a refugee still in Turkey who had completed virtually all background clearance steps for admittance to the U.S. along with her husband prior to the institution of the refugee ban, described the emotional toll of these new hurdles and indefinite delays: “Asylum is already difficult. These endless pauses leave you feeling empty inside.” Across Turkey, refugees continue to grapple with the constant threat of family separation, overwhelming despair, and the risk of deportation with as little as 20 days’ notice due to shifting policies.
These compounded restrictions have created nearly insurmountable obstacles for those seeking sanctuary. Even with official approval from the United Nations, many refugees remain stranded in remote Turkish villages under deplorable conditions, forced into dangerous, low-paid work with little to no legal protection. The emotional and psychological toll of waiting indefinitely—caught between fleeting hope and persistent despair—is severe. With the looming return of Trump’s harsh immigration policies, the dream of a stable, secure future appears increasingly unattainable.
Tragically, recent events underscore the perilous reality for Iranian refugees. On the night of January 16 (27 Dey), Nazanin Fata, her young daughter Delsa Fakhimi, and five other refugees—including three children—drowned in the Aegean Sea near the Greek island of Samos. Nazanin’s brothers, Deniz and Mehran Fata, who were with her and her nieces and nephews aboard the boat, were rescued. Witnesses suggest that the Turkish Coast Guard deliberately endangered the vessel, pushing it dangerously close to disaster.
Furthermore, on May 5, 2024, an Iranian refugee named Sanaz Jalouei took her own life in Antalya after nearly nine years of living in uncertainty in Turkey. According to her mother, Sanaz had migrated to Turkey in 2015 and, after years of not knowing if she would ever be accepted, was devastated to receive a deportation notice just two weeks before her death. Her family later presented an official Turkish court ruling issued shortly before her suicide, underscoring the unbearable reality of her plight.
NIAC believes it is imperative for the U.S. government to champion its foundational American values and uphold human rights by continuing to accept refugees. The United States has long been a beacon of hope for those fleeing persecution, and it is crucial that policies reflect compassion, justice, and a steadfast commitment to these ideals. We call on policymakers in both the U.S. and around the world to reject restrictive measures that undermine these principles and to ensure that America and other nations remain as possible sanctuaries for those in desperate need of refuge.