Afghans facing deportation from US include relatives of those who worked alongside American forces; plane will take them to Pakistan

Dozens of Afghan migrants detained in the United States are expected to be deported as early as next week, potentially including relatives of Afghans who worked alongside American military forces during the war in Afghanistan. The planned removals have sparked alarm among immigration lawyers, refugee advocacy groups and families, who fear those sent back could face persecution or torture under Taliban rule.According to lawyers, advocacy groups and relatives of detained migrants, dozens of Afghans are expected to be deported early next week. A court filing reviewed by ABC News in the case of one Afghan immigrant indicates that a deportation flight scheduled for next week is expected to take the individual to Pakistan, followed by further transportation to Afghanistan.Advocates and families have previously told ABC News that hundreds of Afghan immigrants are currently being held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities in Louisiana. Many international deportation flights depart from the state.Families fear relatives could face Taliban persecutionThe possible deportations have heightened anxiety among families, particularly those whose relatives have connections to the US military or government.Charlotte Moyal told ABC News that her husband, who has been in immigration detention for more than a year, was recently transferred from a detention facility in Pennsylvania to one in Louisiana.Moyal said her husband was informed that he could be deported from the United States as early as next week.Families fear that if their relatives are ultimately sent to Afghanistan, they could face torture or persecution from the Taliban because of their association with the United States.Shawn VanDiver, founder and president of AfghanEvac, a nonprofit organisation supporting Afghans evacuated from their home country following the US withdrawal, said families of those detained were terrified."Anybody from Afghanistan is in danger if they get sent back," VanDiver told ABC News.US administration defends immigration policyThe US State Department defended the administration's position on immigration and deportations.A department spokesperson said earlier this week that the US maintained its position that "all countries must be able to manage their borders and immigration processes in a manner that ensures the safety, security, and prosperity of their citizens."However, the possibility of deporting Afghans who assisted American forces has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers.Democratic Representative Scott Peters, a longtime supporter of Afghan refugees, said the planned removals could put vulnerable people at serious risk."Afghans who stood with American troops, and their families, are being quietly loaded onto a plane to Pakistan, where they will very likely be pushed to the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan," Peters said in a statement.He accused the administration of potentially putting former allies and their families in danger."If this administration has its way, we would be throwing our vulnerable allies into the jaws of mortal danger. This is absolute cruelty and it is not who we are. This decision needs to be reversed," he added.The planned deportations have renewed concerns among Afghan refugee advocates about the future of people who sought safety in the United States after the Taliban returned to power following the withdrawal of American forces in 2021.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.