The United States deported more than 100 citizens of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan who were residing illegally in the country, in a joint repatriation effort supported by the Uzbek government, according to the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan.

The operation took place just hours after President Donald Trump marked his 100th day in office, and was notable for being the first time a U.S. partner government provided a chartered flight to facilitate the deportation of its nationals. Organized and funded by Uzbekistan, the flight also carried deportees from neighboring Central Asian states, demonstrating Tashkent’s growing role as a regional security collaborator.

“Uzbekistan demonstrated its role as a trusted and proactive partner in the realm of international security,” the statement read, praising the cooperation as a step forward in the countries’ Enhanced Strategic Partnership.

The coordinated deportation reflects a broader effort to manage border security in the region. U.S. authorities stressed that the operation stressing the importance of “burden sharing,” where partner countries contribute directly to solutions for complex migration and law enforcement challenges.

Uzbekistan’s diplomatic missions in Washington, D.C., and New York have been closely working with U.S. law enforcement agencies to facilitate the orderly and secure return of Uzbek nationals. Under bilateral protocols, American officials notify Uzbekistan of each deportation case in advance, with repatriation commonly conducted via the New York–Tashkent route.

As part of a larger U.S. initiative to return over 1.4mn undocumented foreign nationals, the U.S. issued deportation orders for 975 Uzbek citizens in November 2024. Among other Central Asian countries, the list also included 369 citizens from Kazakhstan, 319 from Kyrgyzstan, 149 from Tajikistan, and 40 from Turkmenistan.

According to earlier figures released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), deportations to Uzbekistan rose sharply over a one-year period—from September 2023 to September 2024, 572 Uzbek nationals were deported, marking a 6.5-fold increase compared to the previous year.

Overall U.S. deportations have also escalated significantly, nearly doubling from 142,580 in 2023 to 271,484 in 2024—the highest total recorded in the last ten years. For comparison, deportations of Uzbek nationals stood at just 21 in 2021, 55 in 2022, and 88 in 2013, indicating a steady upward trend.