The United States is engaged in discussions to resettle more than 1,100 Afghan refugees currently stranded in Qatar to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to advocacy groups and officials familiar with the matter. These Afghans, many of whom worked alongside U.S. forces during the two-decade war against the Taliban, have been in limbo at Camp As Sayliyah, a former U.S. military base near Doha, since late 2024, awaiting immigrant visa processing that was subsequently halted.

The group includes interpreters, former Afghan Special Operations forces members, and relatives of American service members, with over 400 children among them. They were evacuated from Afghanistan due to threats linked to their association with the U.S. military. However, the visa processing that would have allowed their resettlement in the United States stalled after January 2025 when the Trump administration imposed a travel ban including Afghanistan, with some limited exceptions for Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs). Following a fatal shooting involving an Afghan individual who had entered the U.S., visa processing for Afghans was suspended entirely in November 2025.

A federal judge ruled in early 2026 that the ban on Afghan SIV processing was unlawful, but the resettlement of these refugees remains stalled. Advocacy groups such as AfghanEvac, led by Shawn VanDiver, say that the Biden administration has not yet resumed processing, leaving the refugees in prolonged uncertainty. VanDiver expressed strong opposition to the potential resettlement in Congo, citing the country’s ongoing conflicts and unstable humanitarian conditions. The DRC has been grappling with violence involving a Rwanda-backed rebel movement and hosts over 600,000 refugees amid one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.

Advocates warn that forcing the refugees to choose between returning to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan or relocating to a conflict-affected region like Congo could result in dire consequences. VanDiver cautioned that sending Afghans to Congo—considered by some as "the world’s No. 2 refugee crisis"—might be used to justify involuntary returns to Afghanistan, where the refugees face significant threats.

The Trump administration has also reportedly explored Botswana as a possible destination, which some consider a safer alternative; however, no formal agreement has been confirmed, and Botswana’s government did not comment when approached. The U.S. State Department has described resettlement in a third country as a positive solution, though it declined to confirm Congo specifically as a chosen option.

The situation reflects ongoing tensions between U.S. immigration policies aimed at limiting resettlement and obligations to Afghan allies who aided American efforts in Afghanistan. More than 190,000 Afghans who supported the U.S. have been admitted to the United States since 2021, but the current group in Qatar remains unresolved after visa processing was halted under the previous administration.

Some refugees at Camp As Sayliyah have been fully vetted, while others remain in the process. Afghan advocates stress that the U.S. government has the ability to grant exemptions and keep these individuals eligible for U.S. resettlement, emphasizing the importance of security vetting rather than blanket bans. A State Department spokesperson highlighted ongoing efforts to find responsible resettlement solutions, noting a recent deal with Congo included financial support to the U.N. refugee agency to assist displaced persons.

The Congolese government has yet to comment on the resettlement discussions, and diplomatic negotiations reportedly continue amid concerns about the refugees’ willingness to accept relocation to the DRC. Meanwhile, many Afghans express a preference to join relatives in the United States rather than move to an unfamiliar and insecure environment.