The recent U.S. military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities on June 21, 2025, have escalated tensions, thrusting the nation into a direct conflict with Iran and prompting a hardline domestic response from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under President Trump’s administration. Tom Homan, appointed as Trump’s “border czar,” has signaled an aggressive push to round up Middle Eastern illegal immigrants and visa overstays, prioritizing national security over civil liberties. Leveraging the national security state’s expansive powers, DHS has intensified Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, targeting individuals from Iran and other Middle Eastern nations. Homan, in a January 2025 ABC News interview, emphasized a “worst first” approach, focusing on those deemed public safety or national security threats, but warned that anyone in the U.S. illegally is “on the table.” The war context has amplified fears of terrorism, leading to policies like enhanced visa vetting and social media monitoring, with ICE arresting individuals like Mahmoud Khalil for alleged Hamas ties, despite limited evidence.

This crackdown reflects a broader erosion of constitutional protections, with Homan and DHS exploiting the post-1947 national security framework to bypass congressional oversight and civil rights concerns. The administration’s rhetoric, echoed in Homan’s April 2025 White House briefing, frames undocumented Middle Eastern immigrants as potential threats, urging self-deportation via the CBP Home App or facing prosecution. Deportation operations have expanded, with military aircraft facilitating flights to countries like Panama, where deportees, including Iranians, face uncertain fates in third countries, often without due process. Civil liberties groups, such as the ACLU, have filed lawsuits, but the Supreme Court’s mixed rulings, like allowing the end of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans, suggest limited recourse. Constituents and some lawmakers remain unaware or supportive, with a 2025 New York Times/Ipsos poll showing 55% of Americans backing mass deportations, prioritizing security over humanitarian concerns.

The focus on Middle Eastern deportees has sparked criticism for its disregard for humane treatment and destination conditions. Homan’s policies, backed by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, prioritize rapid removal over ensuring safe repatriation, with deportees sent to nations like Iran, where political or religious persecution—like that faced by Artemis Ghasemzadeh, a Christian convert—could be deadly. Cities like Chicago and New York, targeted for raids since January 2025, face community disruption, with ICE operating in sensitive locations like schools and hospitals, reversing Obama-era protections. The administration’s multimillion-dollar ad campaign warns immigrants to “leave or be hunted down,” reflecting a dehumanizing approach. As the U.S.-Iran conflict fuels this xenophobic surge, the lack of congressional pushback and public apathy signal a new era where national security trumps civil rights, leaving Middle Eastern immigrants vulnerable to swift, unscrutinized deportation.