Donald Trump
Bolatito Mercy
The administration of US President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing to deport more than 150 Afghan immigrants to Afghanistan through Pakistan, a move that has raised concerns among advocacy groups over the safety of those affected.
According to a report by The New York Times on Friday, citing three unnamed US officials, the first deportation flight could depart as early as Monday.
The planned deportations come amid the Trump administration’s wider immigration crackdown, which has included travel restrictions on several countries, including Afghanistan, and efforts to end deportation protections previously granted to some Afghans.
Some of those affected had received special immigrant visas following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021.
The group expected to be deported reportedly includes relatives of Afghans who supported the US military during its operations in the country before the fall of Kabul, according to AfghanEvac, an organisation that assists former Afghan allies.
Although the United States cannot directly arrange deportations to Afghanistan, the officials told The New York Times that Pakistan would facilitate the process and oversee their return.
Pakistan has intensified its efforts to repatriate Afghan nationals, with its government earlier this year directing law enforcement agencies nationwide to arrest Afghans without valid visas. The policy forms part of a wider campaign that has forced millions of Afghans who fled following the Taliban’s return to power to leave the country.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained tense since the Taliban regained control in 2021. Tensions escalated following deadly border clashes last October, which resulted in the near-total closure of their shared border.
Although mediation efforts temporarily eased the situation, hostilities intensified again in February, prompting Pakistan to declare an “open war” against its neighbour.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of harbouring militants responsible for attacks on Pakistani territory, an allegation denied by the Taliban authorities.
Meanwhile, AfghanEvac President Shawn VanDiver criticised the planned deportations, warning that returning the affected individuals could expose them to serious danger.
In a statement, VanDiver accused the US administration of proceeding with the deportations during the week of the country’s midterm elections, suggesting that the timing could draw public attention away from the decision.
He also expressed concern that some of those facing deportation were relatives of individuals who had served alongside American forces.
According to him, the families could face retaliation from the Taliban because of their connections to the former US-backed military effort.
The Taliban announced a general amnesty after returning to power, promising not to punish Afghans who had worked with Western-backed forces and governments.
However, the United Nations has documented reports of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions and other human rights abuses since the group regained control.
The Taliban authorities had not issued an immediate response to the reported deportation plans, while the US Department of Homeland Security had yet to respond to inquiries.
