Philadelphia, PA — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the removal of more than 130 Central Asian nationals this week, with 90 individuals repatriated directly from Philadelphia as part of a coordinated multi-agency operation.
The April 29 flight departed with deportees from various states and merged with a final group in New York before continuing to Uzbekistan on April 30. The deportees included nationals from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Philadelphia led the regional coordination, working in conjunction with federal law enforcement and international partners. Uzbekistan fully funded the deportation of its citizens in what officials described as a demonstration of deep bilateral cooperation.
“The Department of Homeland Security’s coordination with the government of Uzbekistan was instrumental in the successful removal of these individuals,” said ERO Philadelphia Acting Field Office Director Brian McShane. “This operation not only reinforced our strong international partnerships but also strengthened national security.”
Operation highlights growing U.S.-Uzbekistan cooperation
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the mission reflects increasing coordination with Central Asian governments and is part of broader efforts to enforce U.S. immigration laws. Officials said ICE continues to arrest individuals who commit crimes or violate immigration regulations.
The deportation comes amid an increase in enforcement activities since January 20, with expanded assistance from the Department of Defense and other federal law enforcement agencies. ICE confirmed that all removed individuals were found in violation of U.S. immigration law.
ICE also noted that its enforcement data is currently published quarterly and with a three-month delay. The agency is working to validate and update its statistics to reflect recent operations.
The successful coordination with Uzbekistan and the mass removal effort mark one of the largest recent deportation operations targeting Central Asian nationals.
