A deportation flight carrying approximately 70 foreign nationals, including a relative of Afghans who supported U.S. military efforts, departed recently for the Central African Republic, according to multiple advocacy groups. This flight is part of a broader government strategy involving deportations to third countries where many deportees have no established connections.

Among those on board was a 24-year-old Afghan man identified as Khalil. His family members, including his father, brother, and sister, had worked alongside U.S. forces during the two-decade American campaign in Afghanistan. Khalil himself had been granted “withholding of removal” by an immigration judge last year, a form of protection given to individuals who face credible threats of persecution if returned to their home country.

Those deported under this policy often include individuals who received special visas or asylum during or after the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in August 2021 and the subsequent collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government. Khalil’s family fled to Pakistan following the Taliban’s return to power, and Taliban forces reportedly raided their home searching for them. Several family members who had collaborated with the U.S. military face ongoing danger, including an elder brother who served as a database administrator for the Afghan National Army and another brother who was killed fighting the Taliban in 2020.

Khalil entered the United States seeking asylum but was detained after crossing the border. A U.S. Marine colonel who supervised Khalil’s brother during the military operations testified at Khalil’s asylum hearing, warning that Khalil would likely face lethal danger if returned to Afghanistan. Khalil’s lawyer and family have underscored the urgent risk to his life should he be forced back, highlighting longstanding U.S. commitments to protect Afghan allies.

This latest deportation is among at least nine flights since mid-2023 that have sent thousands of migrants to countries where they lack ties, such as the Central African Republic, South Sudan, and other African states. These countries are often experiencing ongoing conflict or instability and are typically designated by the U.S. State Department as unsafe for travel.

Human rights organizations report that more than 23,000 individuals have been deported to third countries under agreements initiated under the Biden administration, a policy begun during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. About 19,000 people have already been sent to Mexico despite having no relationship with the country. Many deportees include people who have won protection in U.S. immigration courts but are nonetheless removed due to administrative policies.

The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees deportations, declined to comment specifically on flights involving relatives of Afghan war allies but stated that it enforces immigration laws and deportations according to judicial rulings. The agency emphasized its refusal to disclose operational details for security reasons.

Advocates for migrants and legal experts criticize the practice, describing it as inhumane and potentially reflective of a strategy to pressure individuals into abandoning their legal claims. Many deportees face destitute conditions upon arrival in their third countries, lacking legal status, work authorization, or access to humanitarian protections. They may remain effectively trapped, with limited means to secure safety or stability.

The situation of Afghan nationals such as Khalil highlights ongoing concerns over U.S. adherence to commitments made to wartime allies. Advocates argue that deportations to unstable countries risk exposing vulnerable individuals to violence and persecution, underscoring calls for a reassessment of U.S. immigration enforcement policies affecting those who supported American efforts abroad.