Dozens of Afghan migrants held in US immigration detention centers are scheduled to board deportation flights as early as next week. The removals, expected to route through Pakistan before reaching Afghanistan, include relatives of individuals who interpreted for or assisted American military personnel during the two-decade war. A court filing reviewed by ABC News confirms the timeline for at least one case, signaling a broader pattern of transfers from facilities in Pennsylvania to Louisiana, a primary hub for international removals.
Families are in a state of panic. Charlotte Moyal, whose husband has been detained for over a year, says he was notified of a potential transfer out of the country within days. She and other relatives fear the Taliban will target these men for their perceived ties to the US government. Shawn VanDiver, president of the nonprofit AfghanEvac, bluntly stated that "anybody from Afghanistan is in danger if they get sent back," citing widespread reports of torture and execution of former interpreters and their kin.
The White House has pushed back against the criticism. A State Department spokesperson defended the border measures, asserting that the US must manage immigration to ensure the "safety, security, and prosperity" of its citizens. However, the administration’s stance clashes with the moral obligations many argue Washington owes to those who risked their lives for American troops. The disconnect between policy and humanitarian risk has drawn sharp fire from Congress.
Representative Scott Peters, a Democrat and vocal advocate for Afghan refugees, called the plan "absolute cruelty." "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 throwing vulnerable allies into "the jaws of mortal danger," demanding an immediate reversal of the decision.
The next 72 hours will determine if these flights depart. Advocacy groups are preparing legal challenges, but with the planes already scheduled, the window for intervention is narrowing. For the families waiting in Louisiana, the clock is ticking toward a destination that offers no legal protection and little hope of safety.