US plans to deport Afghans back to their home country via Pakistan

The administration of US President Donald Trump is planning to deport Afghan migrants detained in the United States to Afghanistan through Pakistan, The Associated Press reported on Sunday citing court documents.

Court documents show that the US plans to begin deporting Afghans from Louisiana to Pakistan as early as Monday, with further transportation to Afghanistan.

Human Rights First said it had confirmed a flight scheduled to carry Afghan migrants from Louisiana to Pakistan on Tuesday. The advocacy group #AfghanEvac also condemned the plan, warning of its consequences for Afghan allies.

The plan has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers.

Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal said the United States was breaking its promise to Afghans who had supported American forces during the war.

Senator Tim Kaine said: “Our Afghan allies risked everything to help the United States. Now Trump plans to send their relatives back to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. Repaying their sacrifice with betrayal is shameful and will make it much harder for America to secure assistance in future conflicts.”

Thousands of Afghans who assisted the US military or are relatives of American service members remain in uncertain circumstances after the Trump administration suspended its predecessor’s Afghan resettlement programme.