Trump's secret deportation deals send thousands to countries they have never known

The United States has been quietly deporting thousands of people to countries they have never lived in, under a series of undisclosed agreements struck with dozens of nations, an investigation has found. Among those affected is an Iranian woman who was flown in shackles to a country in Africa she had not previously heard of.

The removals are being carried out aboard US immigration flights, with detainees reportedly kept in the dark about their destination until arrival. The programme, described by officials as a show of force, is costing American taxpayers millions of dollars.

The deals, negotiated with governments across several regions, have drawn sharp criticism from legal advocates who argue that deporting individuals to third countries with which they have no connection raises serious human rights concerns. Many of those expelled have spent years, in some cases decades, living and working inside the United States.