U.S. Set to Deport Afghan Refugees to Pakistan Despite Taliban Risk

The Trump administration is preparing to deport dozens of Afghan immigrants and asylum-seekers to Pakistan on what would be the first flight of its kind, a senior administration official told NBC News. The flight has not been publicly announced but could depart as early as Monday, according to rights advocates and families of detainees cited by the network.

Who is being deported, and why does it matter?

Among those facing removal are relatives of Afghans who worked alongside the U.S. military during its 20-year war against the Taliban, which retook control of Afghanistan in 2021, NBC News reported. Advocates warn that if Pakistan returns the deportees to Afghanistan — an outcome described as widely expected — they could face severe repercussions from the Taliban government.

Shawn VanDiver, president of the San Diego-based advocacy group AfghanEvac, told NBC News the organization has confirmed that at least 80 Afghans have been moved to Louisiana from 34 other ICE facilities around the country in recent days, a detail the outlet reported as evidence of preparations for the flight.

What is the legal basis for sending Afghans to Pakistan?

NBC News reported it is not clear what formal agreement, if any, the United States has with Pakistan covering the transfers. A senior administration official told the network that the U.S. charter flight could not land in Pakistan without that government's knowledge and approval.

The administration has deported thousands of people to countries that are not their own, many in Africa, according to NBC News, in what immigration lawyers describe to the outlet as an effort to work around international law barring the return of asylum-seekers to countries they fled. The legality of these third-country deportation arrangements is scheduled for argument before the Supreme Court in December, NBC News reported.

How did Afghan admissions change under the Trump administration?

Afghans displaced by war and political instability have been admitted to the United States for decades, including tens of thousands who arrived after the chaotic 2021 withdrawal of U.S.-led forces, NBC News reported. President Donald Trump halted admissions for Afghans and other refugees after returning to office last year as part of a broader immigration crackdown, according to the network's reporting.

What do other outlets say about the planned flight?

NBC News said the deportation plan was earlier reported by Bloomberg, which cited a federal government official familiar with the plans, and by The New York Times, which cited three U.S. officials — corroboration NBC News noted in its own account.

By the numbers

• At least 80 Afghans have been relocated to Louisiana from 34 other ICE facilities nationwide in recent days, according to AfghanEvac's Shawn VanDiver, as reported by NBC News.
• The flight would mark the first deportation of its kind to Pakistan, per the senior administration official who spoke to NBC News.

NBC News reported the story on Oct. 30, 2026, citing a senior administration official, advocacy groups, and families of those detained. The outlet's full report, including additional detail on the detainees' circumstances, is available at nbcnews.com.

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