US to deport 150 Afghan immigrants back to Afghanistan

The Trump administration intends to deport over 150 Afghan immigrants back to Afghanistan, according to US media reports. This move, which could endanger their lives, is set to take place via Pakistan, with the first flight potentially departing as early as Monday, the New York Times reported, citing three unnamed US officials. The deportees are expected to include relatives of Afghans who assisted US military personnel in the country prior to the August 2021 Taliban takeover.

The US cannot arrange the deportations directly to Afghanistan; instead, Pakistan will oversee their expulsion. Pakistan's government has been implementing a years-long repatriation policy, ordering law enforcement nationwide to arrest Afghan citizens without visas. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been tense since the Taliban authorities took power in 2021, exacerbated by deadly border clashes last October and renewed conflict in February.

Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring militants responsible for attacks on its territory, an allegation denied by the Taliban government. Afghan advocacy groups have expressed concerns over the potential dangers awaiting the deportees, with Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac, stating that some migrants are the brothers and sons of men who served alongside US forces.

The Taliban authorities were not available for comment, and the US Department of Homeland Security declined to comment to AFP. AfghanEvac president Shawn VanDiver criticized the administration's timing, suggesting that the moves could be politically motivated as the US midterm elections approach.