Democracy Dies in Darkness: A young Iranian man’s 18-month struggle with the complex geopolitical landscape of third-country deportations.
Arsalan Saleh Fard, aged 25, finds himself in a shelter room, having escaped Iran in hopes of a better future in the United States. His aspirations were thwarted by deportation policies, leading him to Panama instead. Photography by Luis Antonio Rojas for The Washington Post
In Panama City—a place unfamiliar to him only two years before—Saleh Fard navigates daily life amidst uncertainty. Without prior knowledge of this Latin American capital, locating it on a map would have been a challenge. Yet, this is where he resides, often making do with a mattress on the shelter floor.
Saleh Fard’s journey highlights the broader implications of third-country deportations. His experience serves as a stark illustration of how policies can shape personal destinies, forcing individuals to adjust to unexpected realities. As U.S. asylum seekers face hurdles due to international agreements and shifting political landscapes, cases like Saleh Fard’s are becoming increasingly common.
These deportations to third countries, rather than providing refuge, often place asylum seekers in unfamiliar environments, further delaying their quest for stability. The consequences are profound on both a personal and global scale.