In a first-of-its-kind move, Israeli authorities on Monday deported an Eritrean man identified as a supporter of the Eritrean regime, marking a new precedent in the country’s immigration enforcement policy.
The man, a father of children and divorced, entered Israel illegally in 2011 and had been residing in the country ever since. He was detained in April 2025 after police found a machete in his possession and suspected him of threatening his family. Following his arrest, he was brought before a border control officer for a hearing and subsequently transferred to the Givon detention facility in Ramla.
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The Eritrean national deported by Israel
(Photo: Population and Immigration Authority)
While in custody, officials determined that he was a supporter of the Eritrean regime, an assessment that was forwarded to the interior minister, who approved his deportation under Israeli immigration law.
At 9:00 a.m. Monday, the Population and Immigration Authority launched the deportation operation, escorted by the Enforcement and Foreigners Administration. The removal marks the first time Israel has deported an Eritrean national explicitly identified as a regime supporter.
The deportation route included stops in Addis Ababa and Kampala, with the individual eventually landing in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea.