Iranian-American in Charlotte concerned about reported deportation plans

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - A Charlotte businessman says reports that the United States is considering deporting Iranians to Iran have left him worried about people seeking asylum and the safety of his wife’s family overseas.

Ali Bahmanyer is a U.S. citizen who has lived in Charlotte for nearly 40 years. He owns the civil engineering and construction company, UC Carolinas. He has also coached soccer for nearly two decades and enjoys riding motorcycles.

Flags from the United States and Iran fly side by side, on the back of his motorcycle, reflecting his connection to both countries. But amid the conflict with Iran, he says he is concerned.

“If you ask me if I feel safe? Not just as an Iranian citizen, but as an American, I do not feel safe,” Bahmanyer said.

His concerns follow a federal immigration crackdown in Charlotte and reports of secret talks between the U.S. government and Iranian leadership about deporting Iranians.

Bahmanyer said he worries about what could happen to people seeking asylum in the United States.

“Any given time, somebody can find a reason,” he said.

Unsealed court transcripts obtained from The Associated Press document a proceeding involving the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund and the U.S. government before U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes.

In one exchange, Reyes asked whether the government planned to remove people in its custody to a country with which the United States was at war. An attorney responded, “That is my understanding, your honor, that there’s -- there are plans in works.”

In another exchange about sending people back to the region, an attorney said, “The government is executing lawful orders of removal.”

The conflict is personal for Bahmanyer: His wife still has family in Iran.

“The days we hear that there is a bombing, everybody has a fear because you don’t know where they’re going to hit,” he said.

A copy of the court transcript is below.