Eritrean man with torture protection deported to Central African Republic, separated from family
Jul 31, 2026·Location: MD
Country of origin: Eritrea

Zena Gebrgzabher, a 39-year-old Eritrean truck driver who lived in Maryland, was deported by the Trump administration to the Central African Republic after being arrested during a routine ICE check-in appointment. He had won protection under the Convention Against Torture in 2017 barring his deportation to Eritrea, after fleeing forced military conscription and imprisonment there, but that protection did not prevent officials from sending him to a third country. His wife and 5-year-old son, both U.S. citizens, live in Maryland; his wife, Yrgalem Gehrehiwet, called the deportation "unfair and inhumane" and said their son has been deeply affected by his father's absence. CBS News found no criminal record for Gebrgzabher beyond traffic and immigration violations, and he is now stranded in Bangui without documents.
Sources
- Men from Cuba and other countries describe being deported by the U.S. to a dangerous African nation:
- Men describe being deported by U.S. to dangerous African nation: “We cannot leave”
us-inquirer.com·Aug 21, 2026·archived copy
- Men recount their harrowing deportation from the U.S. to a perilous African country: "We have no way out" - News Dive
newsdive.net·Aug 22, 2026·archived copy
- Deported from Honduras and Cuba to Africa, migrants ask to return to U.S. and denounce uncertainty
- Men describe being deported by U.S. to dangerous African nation: "We cannot leave"
Yahoo News·Aug 22, 2026·archived copy
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