Poland accused of collaborating in deportations of Ukrainian migrants to a war zone

According to the complaint, more than 50 people were transferred by ICE through Polish territory before being sent to Ukraine, despite the ongoing armed conflict.

Last week, Amnesty International and Human Rights First (HRF) released a letter addressed to Poland's deputy prime minister and interior minister demanding that the Polish government stop collaborating with the mass and illegal deportations of migrants carried out by the United States.

According to the complaint by these organizations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) used Polish airports and territory in at least two operations carried out in November 2025 and March 2026 to transfer more than 50 people to Ukraine, a country that is still going through an active war.

Amnesty International and HRF called on the Polish authorities to suspend any kind of cooperation with the anti-immigration policies and violations of international law promoted by the Donald Trump administration. They also called for reparations for the people affected by these forced transfers.

Along these lines, the director of Amnesty International Poland, Anna Błaszczak-Banasiak, recalled that Poland has supported Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion and provided temporary protection to nearly one million Ukrainian refugees. “The country should play no role in these illegal operations that separate families, fragment communities and put lives at risk,” she said.

According to information obtained by Human Rights First's ICE Flight Monitor, on March 17, 2026, two flights of the U.S. agency landed at Rzeszów-Jasionka airport with Ukrainian citizens on board, whose current whereabouts remain unknown.

Another operation took place on November 18, 2025, when an ICE flight arrived in Poland and the 50 people transferred were taken to the Sheghini-Médica border crossing and then sent to Ukraine. According to media reports, U.S. officials flew the group to Poland and Polish officers then escorted them until they crossed the Ukrainian border.

Amnesty International and HRF also noted that some of the deported people had previously entered the United States through the humanitarian program “Uniting for Ukraine,” launched in 2022 by the Joe Biden administration. Several of them were awaiting answers on the renewal of their residence permits. As a result of these expulsions, many families were separated.

The organizations further added that ICE reported transfers to Ukraine without specifying how many people were involved. On August 18, 2025, it even published photographs related to these operations on the social network X, although it later deleted the post.

Under international law, Poland has an obligation not to expel or return people to territories where their life or freedom may be in danger. Both Amnesty International and Human Rights First reiterated that Ukraine does not yet meet safe conditions for the return of refugees, although they consider it possible that this may happen in the future once the armed conflict ends.

The war between Russia and Ukraine is still ongoing, which is why UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has also asked States to avoid returns to Ukrainian territory.

Amnesty International and HRF urged the Polish government to defend human rights and reject any form of cooperation with the deportations promoted by Washington. “The government must refuse to tolerate, facilitate or participate in any way in this cruel and inhumane campaign of mass transfers driven by the Trump government,” they stated.

For her part, Błaszczak-Banasiak said that the Polish authorities must investigate what happened, determine the whereabouts of the people transferred and ensure that they are protected against forced returns, as well as receive dignified treatment and access to effective remedies.

Background

Since January 2025, the Donald Trump administration has tightened immigration policies and restricted the possibilities for foreign nationals to remain in the United States after suspending humanitarian parole programs and temporary protection mechanisms for various nationalities. These measures have left more than 1.5 million people exposed to the risk of deportation.

Among the programs affected is “Uniting for Ukraine” (U4U), created during Joe Biden's presidency, which allowed some 280,000 Ukrainians to enter the United States. The program currently remains suspended indefinitely for new applications.

At the same time, Amnesty International and Human Rights First also expressed concern over the use of Shannon Airport in Ireland as a stopover and refueling point for ICE flights linked to deportations considered illegal.

Guillermo Whpei

President of Fundación para la Democracia