Biden administration quietly resumes deportations to Russia

[Boiler 45,451]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/18/biden-administration-russia-deportations

 

The Biden administration has quietly resumed deportations to Russia, an apparent reversal of the position adopted after Russia invaded Ukraine just over a year ago, when such removals were suspended, the Guardian has learned.

Immigration advocates were taken by surprise when a young Russian man, who came to the US fleeing Vladimir Putin’s efforts to mobilize citizens to fight in Ukraine, was abruptly deported at the weekend from the US back to Russia.

He was among several Russian asylum seekers, many of whom have made their way to the US in the last year, who are now terrified the US government will return them to Russia where they could face prison or be sent rapidly to the frontline, where Russia has seen tens of thousands of casualties.

“US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) remains committed to enforcing immigration laws humanely, effectively and with professionalism. Ice facilitates the transfer and removal of non-citizens via commercial airlines and chartered flights in support of mission requirements,” the federal agency said this week, adding: “Ice conducts removals to countries, including Russia, in accordance with country removal guidelines.”

News of resumed deportations to Russia came just over a year after reports that the Biden administration had suspended deportation flights to Russia, Ukraine and seven other countries in Europe during Russia’s attack on Ukraine. It is unclear when deportations to Russia resumed. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

[TBoneTX 45,260]

Asylum-seekers who have lawyers typically have a far higher shot at asylum than do those trying it on their own.  I agree with the lawyer's observation that the deportations make little sense from a policy standpoint, so perhaps they were procedural, in that the applicants who failed to appeal got hosed and the one who did appeal had success.

[Boiler 45,451]

I would not trust the Guardian for details.

 

My first thought was that this was super quick when Asylum can take decades.

 

Also an asylum claim based on national service seems odd, not an Asylum expert but seems there would be much stronger reasons.

[millefleur 5,046]

Sounds shady. 

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13 minutes ago, millefleur said:

Sounds shady. 

I am not sure, did have a quick look to see if other outlets were covering this and did not find anything.

[mendeleev 68]

The USA does require young men to register for military service and the legal framework remains in place in the USA to resume military conscription.  Consequently, the argument went, the USA would not find an attempt to avoid national service abroad as a valid reason to acquire asylum.  Back when the USA was sponsoring a war against a Marxist regime in Nicaragua, the USA nonetheless deported Nicaraguans who fled to the USA to avoid conscription.  To my knowledge, US law on this topic has not changed.