Trump plans to deport dozens of Afghans back to the Taliban in first large-scale removal flight

Key Points:

• The Trump administration is reportedly planning the first large-scale deportation flight of around 150 Afghans from the U.S. to Afghanistan via Pakistan, raising concerns about their safety under Taliban rule.
• Many deportees include family members of U.S. allies and vulnerable individuals, such as LGBTQ+ persons, who face risks of discrimination, violence, and severe punishment upon return.
• Human rights groups and legal experts criticize the administration's use of Pakistan as a deportation transit point, calling it a legally questionable method to send refugees back to active war zones.
• The administration is also preparing a deportation flight of Iranian immigrants, marking the first such removals since the U.S. war in Iran began, amid fears of harsh consequences for political dissidents.
• Despite claims by Homeland Security of improved security conditions in Afghanistan, aid organizations and refugee advocates warn that deportations expose individuals to grave dangers including imprisonment, torture, and death under Taliban control.