Trump administration attempts to bypass restrictions on sending Afghan refugees to Afghanistan: Reports

The Trump administration is proceeding with plans to effectively deport some Afghan refugees to Afghanistan, despite concerns they could become targets of the Taliban there, according to several reports .

Dozens of Afghan immigrants have been detained in Louisiana and over 150 people are expected to be deported, making this among the largest single deportations of Afghans, according to The New York Times .

The U.S. is restricted from sending refugees straight to Afghanistan, as the country lacks diplomatic relations with the Taliban. Instead, the Trump administration plans to send the group to Pakistan, where they are widely expected to be sent to Afghanistan.

The Department of Homeland Security told The Hill in a statement on Saturday that “ICE does not comment on prospective removal operations, including flight schedules, passenger manifests, destinations, or individual case details.”

“For operational security reasons and the safety of our officers, we would not confirm future removal operations,” DHS continued in their statement.

Bloomberg was the first to report on the initial details of this plan earlier this week, citing a government official with knowledge of the plans.

The deportation flight to Pakistan could depart as soon as Monday morning, according to NBC News .

In the past, the U.S. has deported some Afghans to Afghanistan through intermediary countries, but these cases have involved immigrants with terrorism or other serious criminal charges.

This is the latest in the Trump administration’s efforts to carry out a widespread deportation campaign across the country.

President Trump blocked the admission of Afghans and other refugees, and his administration has deported thousands of people to countries where they have no ties. The Supreme Court is set to rule on the legality of these third-country deportations this term.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, slammed this latest deportation plan in a statement shared to social media on Friday.

“It is reprehensible that the Trump Administration plans to deport hundreds of Afghans, including women, children and those who supported U.S. forces, to Pakistan – who then risk being sent back into the hands of the Taliban. Congress must stand against this,” Shaheen said.

Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who sits on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, similarly criticized the move.

“We made a promise to our Afghan allies—that after aiding & protecting our troops during the conflict in Afghanistan, America would not abandon them,” he wrote in a social media post . “This Administration is betraying that promise, deporting them to potential torture & death.”