The Trump administration is preparing its first large-scale deportation flight of Afghan immigrants, routing dozens of detainees through Pakistan in an effort to bypass the lack of formal diplomatic ties with the Taliban government, according to court documents and federal officials.
Federal Filings Reveal First Charter Flight Route Through Pakistan
The Trump administration plans to deport detained Afghan immigrants as early as Monday, utilizing a charter flight departing from Alexandria, Louisiana, to Pakistan, with further transport onward into Afghanistan. Court documents filed in federal cases across Louisiana and Oklahoma disclosed the upcoming removals, marking the first time the administration has organized a large-scale deportation flight of Afghans back into the region.
Federal prosecutors and immigration officials revealed the operational details through court filings tied to individuals challenging their removals. In one Oklahoma case, prosecutors noted that an Afghan immigrant was scheduled to be deported sometime next week. Human rights advocates and legal teams representing detainees say the sweeping operation targets dozens of individuals held in facilities such as the Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Pennsylvania and holding centers in Louisiana.
As of July, a camp was housing 287 men, 319 women, and 433 children, according to AfghanEvac. According to AfghanEvac, thousands of people who fled war and persecution and went through yearslong vetting processes to start new lives in America remain stranded at places worldwide, including the base in Qatar. Following the U.S. withdrawal in 2021, which led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people in the wake of the devastating years-long war, then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated in a release that conditions in Afghanistan did not meet requirements for a Temporary Protected Status designation after interagency review.
Advocates and Lawmakers Warn of Mortal Danger Under Taliban Rule
Human rights organizations and immigrant advocates have strongly condemned the planned deportations, arguing that returning individuals to Taliban-controlled territory violates human rights and exposes them to severe retaliation. Many of the Afghans facing removal fled the country following the 2021 U.S. military withdrawal after aiding American forces and aid groups.
Photo: India Today
If this administration has its way, we would be throwing our vulnerable allies into the jaws of mortal danger. This is absolute cruelty and it is not who we are. This decision needs to be reversed.
Photo: The Independent
Rep. Scott Peters, a longtime supporter of Afghan refugees
Veterans and advocacy leaders also criticized the route through Pakistan, noting that Islamabad has carried out its own sweeping crackdown on Afghan nationals since 2023, forcing millions to leave. Critics argue that sending deportees through Pakistan effectively funnels them straight into the hands of the Taliban, where returnees face imprisonment, torture, or execution due to suspected ties with Western governments or previous Afghan administrations.
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen stated that Congress must stand against the risk of individuals being sent back into the hands of the Taliban. Uzra Zeya, president of Human Rights First, noted that the mass deportation agenda has swept up family members of Afghan allies and Iranian political dissidents facing grave consequences. Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president of Global Refuge, stated that deporting Afghans into the Pakistani crackdown is a deliberate decision to put them in harm’s way, noting that Islamabad has made its stance clear by hounding millions out of the country.
Administration Defense of Border Management and Diplomatic Hurdles
Because the United States maintains no formal diplomatic relations with the Taliban government, Washington cannot arrange direct removal flights through normal diplomatic channels. The Trump administration has increasingly relied on intermediary nations to carry out removals when direct deportation to a home country is unfeasible.
✈️ U.S. Plans Afghan Deportations Through Pakistan
We reaffirm our position that all countries must be able to manage their borders and immigration processes in a manner that ensures the safety, security and prosperity of their citizens.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, via The Associated Press
A senior administration official told NBC News that those designated for the flight include individuals with final deportation orders, applicants denied asylum, and people whose temporary protected status was terminated by the administration. Meanwhile, lawmakers including Democratic Sens. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut posted statements online condemning the policy as a direct betrayal of America’s wartime promises to its foreign allies.
Photo: thedailystar.com
When asked about claims made by Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac, the White House referred requests for comment to the Department of Homeland Security. A spokesperson reiterated that the agency could not confirm removal operations for operational security reasons. A senior administration official, declining to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the media, indicated that the risk of being viewed with suspicion by the Taliban and facing persecution or worse does not appear to be a major concern for the White House.
