The U.S. government is preparing to deport dozens of Afghan immigrants detained in Louisiana, despite concerns about the risks they may face upon return to Afghanistan under Taliban rule, according to multiple officials familiar with the plan. The deportations, expected to begin as early as this week, are part of one of the largest single-round expulsions of Afghan nationals from the United States.
More than 150 Afghans are reportedly slated for removal. The Trump administration is coordinating the deportations through Pakistan, which will then facilitate their transfer across the border into Afghanistan. This indirect route allows the U.S. to circumvent diplomatic challenges, as it does not have formal relations with the Taliban government and faces legal obstacles preventing direct deportations of vulnerable individuals.
Many of those targeted for expulsion include people who could be at heightened risk of persecution. Some are relatives of Afghans who assisted the U.S. military during its two-decade presence in the country, while others have faced direct Taliban persecution. Among the detainees is a gay man who previously lost his permanent residency after early felony convictions and has lived in the United States since childhood. He expressed fear for his life, citing Afghanistan’s criminalization of homosexuality, which carries the death penalty.
Legal representatives have raised concerns about the conditions of the deportations and the potential danger to the individuals involved. One lawyer noted that the government has reportedly obtained travel documents from Afghan authorities — effectively the Taliban — but has not disclosed how they were secured or shared these documents with detainees’ attorneys. Emergency legal motions have been filed to halt some deportations, but court decisions are pending.
Afghans face varying legal circumstances in the U.S., with some having asylum or other protections that bar their return due to credible fears of persecution. It remains unclear whether any of the individuals slated for removal have such protections or if those protections are being overridden. Neither U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) nor the Department of Homeland Security has publicly commented on the removal operations or specific flight details.
The deportations build on a broader effort by the Trump administration to restrict immigration from Afghanistan, including reducing protections for those who aided U.S. efforts, deporting others to third countries, and urging some stranded Afghans abroad to return home voluntarily. Previously, deportations to Afghanistan were limited primarily to individuals facing serious criminal charges related to terrorism.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is conducting its own large-scale campaign to expel Afghan refugees, citing national security concerns. Since 2023, over 2.7 million Afghans have been forced back into Afghanistan from Pakistan, including traders, laborers, and, more recently, health professionals whose visas have been revoked. Pakistani officials have not responded to inquiries about their coordination with the U.S. or the impact on Afghan deportees transiting through the country.
The Taliban government has not commented on the deportation plan. However, ongoing tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban, particularly over Pakistan’s accusations that the Afghan government shelters groups responsible for attacks on its soil, have shaped regional dynamics surrounding these removals.
Among those affected, detainees express uncertainty and fear about returning to a country many have not seen in years or at all. One Afghan immigrant held in Louisiana described losing the life he had rebuilt in the U.S. after early criminal convictions and facing the prospect of returning to a homeland where his identity and choices could place him in grave danger. As he awaits deportation, he is attempting to reconnect with Islamic practices while preparing for an uncertain future under Taliban rule.