By Salma El-Sakka
The Trump administration has detained dozens of Afghan immigrants in Louisiana and plans to deport them to Afghanistan by way of Pakistan, according to three U.S. officials. The group includes individuals who could face persecution under the Taliban, such as relatives of people who assisted the U.S. military and at least one gay man.
Largest Single Expulsion of Afghans
More than 150 Afghan immigrants are expected to be deported, making this one of the largest single expulsions of Afghans. Because the United States lacks diplomatic relations with the Taliban, it cannot arrange direct deportations to Afghanistan. Instead, the administration will fly detainees to Pakistan, which will then expel them across the border into Afghanistan.
Legal Protections Circumvented
Some Afghans in the United States have been granted legal protections by U.S. judges that prevent their return to Afghanistan due to the likelihood of persecution. Officials say the deportation is effectively to Afghanistan, and detainees have been told as much by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The first flight is expected to depart as early as Nov. 2.
Detainee's Story
One of those marked for deportation is Mohammad, 47, who said he was detained last year by federal agents while charging his electric car and held in Oklahoma. He was recently moved to a Louisiana prison ahead of deportation. Mohammad said his family fled Afghanistan as refugees in 1981, when he was two years old, following the Soviet invasion.
