Trump administration to deport 150 Afghan refugees to Afghanistan via Pakistan

The Trump administration is preparing to deport more than 150 Afghan immigrants and refugees to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan via Pakistan. The first deportation flight could take off as early as Monday. The broader plan reportedly involves routing deportees through Pakistan because the United States has no diplomatic relations with the Taliban government in Afghanistan. According to NBC News, Shawn VanDiver, president of San Diego-based advocacy group AfghanEvac, said at least 80 Afghans had recently been transferred to Louisiana from 34 ICE detention facilities across the United States. Of those, 19 were reportedly moved without legal representation. Many of those facing deportation reportedly fled Afghanistan following the Taliban's return to power in 2021, including individuals whose family members had worked alongside US forces during the two-decade war. Shawn warned that returning these individuals could expose them and their families to serious risks of persecution and retaliation. "Some facing deportation are brothers and sons of men who served alongside US forces, families the Taliban already has every reason to target," VanDiver added. A senior Trump administration official, speaking anonymously to NBC News, indicated that the potential consequences for Afghans facing deportation were not a major concern for the White House. “The administration’s position is, ‘These individuals do not have status in our country, therefore we don’t really care what happens to them,’” the official said. The proposed removals come amid US president Donald Trump's broader immigration crackdown. Since returning to office, his administration has suspended refugee admissions, including those for Afghans who had sought protection in the United States following the 2021 withdrawal of US-led forces. The policy marks a reversal of earlier efforts to provide refuge to Afghans fleeing Taliban rule and political instability. The administration has also pursued third-country deportation arrangements, sending migrants to countries other than their countries of origin. Immigration lawyers and human rights advocates argue that such arrangements could circumvent international protections against returning asylum seekers to places where they may face persecution. The legality of these deportation policies is expected to come before the US Supreme Court in December. VanDiver has called on Congress to intervene by passing legislation granting eligible Afghans temporary protected status (TPS), which would provide protection from deportation while conditions in Afghanistan remain dangerous. Pakistan could also face complications if the proposed deportations proceed through its territory. Islamabad has already deported more than two million Afghan nationals since 2023.