Lawmakers urge halt to Afghan deportations amidst safety concerns

The letter, sent on Monday, expresses concern that these individuals are slated to be deported from detention facilities in Louisiana to Pakistan as early as Tuesday. Advocacy groups have highlighted the potential dangers facing those being deported.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has previously indicated in court filings that it intends to return some Afghans to their home country. The United States currently lacks diplomatic relations with Afghanistan, which has been under Taliban governance since the withdrawal of U.S. troops in August 2021.

“Sending dozens of people back to one of the most dangerous countries on earth, and where they are likely to be targeted for their or their family’s suspected support of the US government or criticism of the Taliban, is a death sentence,” the lawmakers stated in their letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin. They emphasized a commitment to protecting those who aided American service members.

This deportation strategy aligns with the Trump administration’s broader policy of transferring migrants to third countries when direct repatriation is deemed problematic. Critics argue this practice disregards international humanitarian norms concerning asylum seekers and refugees, often sending individuals to nations with questionable human rights records.

According to data from Refugees International and Human Rights First, the Trump administration has already forcibly relocated at least 25,000 individuals to third countries. A flight carrying some of the affected Afghans from Alexandria, Louisiana, to Pakistan is scheduled for Tuesday, according to Human Rights First.

Rights advocates also noted that the deportation list may include Iranians, whom the Trump administration has previously sent to third countries for eventual return to Iran, despite ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Pakistan has previously deported millions of Afghans to Afghanistan as relations with the Taliban have strained.

Shawn VanDiver, founder and president of the AfghanEvac advocacy group, stated that many of those facing deportation lacked adequate legal representation to challenge their removal proceedings. He spoke with a former Afghan police officer who fears for his life if returned to Afghanistan.

Following the departure of former President Joe Biden, the Trump administration has attempted to curtail resettlement programs initiated for Afghans. In 2021, over 120,000 Afghans were evacuated from Afghanistan. Some were temporarily housed in facilities in Qatar, where a U.S. extension for Camp As Sayliyah, housing over 1,000 Afghans who assisted U.S. forces, was granted this September.

Afghans initially evacuated to the U.S. were granted humanitarian parole, allowing temporary residency. Subsequently, the Biden administration extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, enabling them to legally live and work in the U.S. However, navigating the backlogged immigration system to pursue asylum or other protections has proven challenging.

“These people are in dire straits; they have been stuck in this limbo for five years, waiting for permanency, waiting for green cards, waiting to hear about their status,” VanDiver said.

The Trump administration has implemented historically low quotas for asylum applications globally, with a notable exception for white Afrikaners from South Africa. A halt to Afghan processing was also ordered after a shooting in Washington, D.C., and Afghan nationals were included in a visa ban, both of which faced legal challenges.