More than 150 Afghans face deportation in largest single expulsion

The Trump administration is preparing to send more than 150 Afghan immigrants back to their homeland. This represents one of the largest single groups of Afghans to be expelled in recent years. The first flight is scheduled to depart as soon as Monday.

Many of those facing removal fled Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover and the U.S. withdrawal in 2021. Shawn VanDiver, head of the AfghanEvac coalition, noted that some individuals are brothers and sons of men who served alongside U.S. forces. He described these families as targets for the Taliban.

The Department of Homeland Security detained dozens of Afghan immigrants in Louisiana to facilitate these removals. A U.S. official explained that the deportations will proceed through Pakistan. Washington cannot arrange direct flights to Afghanistan because it lacks diplomatic ties with the Taliban government.

Pakistan has already expelled over 2 million Afghan nationals to Afghanistan since 2023. The administration argues that its immigration crackdown aims to improve domestic security. However, rights advocates claim the measures violate due process and have created an unsafe environment for minorities concerned about racial profiling.

The Homeland Security Department declined to confirm details of future removal operations, citing operational security. VanDiver has urged Congress to pass legislation granting Afghans in the U.S. temporary protected status. This legal step would shield them from immediate deportation.

The coalition of veterans and advocacy groups announced the plan on Friday. The timing coincides with ongoing debates in Washington over immigration enforcement and the status of Afghan evacuees.