In brief
The Trump administration will deport more than 150 Afghan immigrants to Afghanistan via Pakistan, a move confirmed by a U.S. official and the AfghanEvac coalition. Critics argue the policy violates due process and targets families of U.S. forces. The plan follows a detention buildup in Louisiana and a call for temporary protected status from AfghanEvac leaders.
WASHINGTON—The Trump administration announced on Friday that it will deport more than 150 Afghan immigrants to Afghanistan, a move that will be carried out through Pakistan because the United States has no diplomatic relationship with the Taliban. The decision was reported by Reuters on Oct. 31, 2026, and was confirmed by a U.S. official and a coalition of veterans and advocacy groups.
Shawn VanDiver, head of the AfghanEvac coalition, said the immigrants were largely families of those who served alongside U.S. forces, adding that "brothers and sons of men who served alongside U.S. forces, families the Taliban already has every reason to target."
"Brothers and sons of men who served alongside U.S. forces, families the Taliban already has every reason to target," said Shawn VanDiver, head of AfghanEvac.
The U.S. administration has detained dozens of Afghan immigrants in Louisiana and plans to begin deportations as soon as Monday, according to the New York Times cited by Reuters. The planned flight would use Pakistani airspace as an intermediate stop because Washington cannot arrange direct deportations to Afghanistan.
Human‑rights advocates have criticized the crackdown, saying it violates due process, free speech, and exposes minorities to racial profiling. The Homeland Security Department declined to confirm operational details, citing security concerns.
VanDiver urged Congress to grant Afghans in the United States temporary protected status to shield them from deportation. Over two million Afghan nationals have been expelled to Afghanistan by Pakistan since 2023.
