Gay Iranian Asylum Seekers Face Possible Deportation Despite Risk of Execution

Two gay Iranian men seeking asylum in the United States face possible deportation despite fears they could be executed if returned to Iran, as the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war has deepened uncertainty around removals and heightened the risks they may face if sent back, according to a CBS News report.

Ali and Adel, who are using assumed names, entered the United States from Mexico in 2025 and were later detained at the southern border.

According to Rebekah Wolf, director of the Immigration Justice campaign at the American Immigration Council, both men were charged in Iran over their sexuality, an offense punishable by death. "They were charged with a crime that is punishable by execution, by hanging, in fact," Wolf told CBS News.

The two men's asylum applications were denied, and the Department of Homeland Security said they received final orders of removal about a year ago. DHS said their claims were heard by a judge and found invalid, adding that they "received full due process" and remain in ICE detention pending removal.

Wolf said both men are appealing those decisions and cannot be deported while their cases remain active, but added that advocates have received no assurances about what would happen if those stays are lifted.

Their legal limbo comes as the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran enters its fifth week. In a televised address Wednesday night, President Donald Trump said the conflict was "nearing completion" and that the United States was "on track to complete all of America's military objectives shortly," while also saying U.S. forces would continue to hit Iran "extremely hard" in the coming weeks.

The conflict has caused rising oil prices, concern over the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and mounting casualties across the region.

According to estimates cited in recent reporting, at least 1,900 people have been killed and 20,000 injured in Iran since the war began. U.S. forces have struck more than 12,300 targets inside Iran, according to U.S. Central Command.

The conflict has also created further uncertainty over whether deportations to Iran are feasible. Wolf said she believes removals may have paused since the war began, though no formal confirmation has been provided.

She said the war could worsen the danger Ali and Adel face if deported. "We know that in times of conflict, in countries like Iran, anyone who is seen as at all connected to the 'enemy' is seen with suspicion," Wolf said. "That, often, in and of itself, is a basis for punishment or execution."