Trump administration plans to deport some Afghan immigrants to Afghanistan

• The Trump administration plans to deport some Afghan immigrants to Afghanistan, with over 150 expected to be removed, Reuters and the New York Times reported.
• Many face removal after fleeing the 2021 Taliban takeover and US withdrawal, while veterans and advocates say some are linked to people who served with US forces.
• Rights groups say the crackdown breaks due process and free speech, and Shawn VanDiver urged Congress to give Afghans temporary protected status; Pakistan has already expelled over 2 million Afghans since 2023.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s administration plans to deport some Afghan immigrants to Afghanistan, a US official and a coalition of veterans and advocacy groups said on Oct 30.

Many facing removal fled Afghanistan after the 2021 Taliban takeover and US withdrawal, said Shawn VanDiver, head of #AfghanEvac.

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.

Over 150 Afghan immigrants are expected to be deported, The New York Times reported, in one of the largest single expulsions of Afghans.

The administration detained dozens of Afghan immigrants in Louisiana and plans to deport them, the newspaper said, adding that the first flight is expected as soon as Nov 2.

A US official said deportations would be via Pakistan.

Washington cannot directly arrange deportations to Afghanistan as it lacks diplomatic ties with the Taliban.

Trump says his immigration crackdown and deportation drive aim to improve domestic security.

Rights advocates say the crackdown violates due process and free speech and has created an unsafe environment for minorities, who have raised concerns about racial profiling.

The Homeland Security Department said it would not confirm future removal operations, citing operational security.

VanDiver urged Congress to pass legislation granting Afghans in the US temporary protected status to protect them from deportation.

Pakistan has expelled over two million Afghan nationals to Afghanistan since 2023. REUTERS