US plans to deport more than 150 Afghans through Pakistan, flight may leave Louisiana on November 2

The Trump administration is preparing to deport more than 150 Afghan immigrants detained across the United States

WASHINGTON / ISLAMABAD:  The Trump administration is preparing to deport more than 150 Afghan immigrants detained across the United States by arranging their transfer through Pakistan, in a move that could become one of the largest single deportation operations involving Afghans from the country, according to a report .

Citing three US officials, the newspaper reported that the group includes relatives of Afghans who assisted American forces before the Taliban takeover of Kabul in 2021. It also reportedly includes at least one gay man who could face serious persecution if returned to Afghanistan under Taliban rule.

Pakistan to serve as transit route

The proposed arrangement involves transferring Afghan detainees to Pakistan before they are sent across the border into Afghanistan. The United States does not maintain diplomatic relations with the Taliban administration, making direct deportation arrangements with Kabul difficult.

According to information , through interviews with lawyers, advocacy organisations and government officials, Afghan detainees have recently been transferred from immigration detention facilities across the United States to centres in Louisiana.

A chartered flight carrying the group could depart from Alexandria, Louisiana, as early as November 2, just one day before the US midterm elections scheduled for November 3.

Under the reported plan, the detainees would first be flown to Pakistan, where Pakistani authorities would oversee their subsequent removal across the border into Afghanistan. US officials have reportedly described the operation as an effective deportation to Afghanistan, and detainees have also been informed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that they are being removed from the United States.

Court documents involving one detainee reportedly indicate that his name has been included on the passenger manifest for a special charter flight scheduled to leave Alexandria during the first week of November. Meanwhile, lawyers representing two other Afghan nationals have shared emails from federal officials indicating that their clients could also be deported in early November.

Rights groups express concern

The reported plan has prompted concern among refugee advocacy and human rights organisations, including AfghanEvac, Global Refuge and Human Rights First.

In a statement issued on October 30, Global Refuge expressed alarm over the proposed deportations and called on the administration to suspend the operation. The organisation also highlighted Pakistan’s record of returning Afghan nationals, stating that more than 2.7 million Afghans have been expelled or forced to return from Pakistan since 2023.

AfghanEvac has also raised concerns through its removal tracker, which has recorded at least 30 reports from 15 detention facilities across 11 US states since October 14. According to the organisation, some detainees were told they would be sent to Pakistan, while others were informed that their destination would be Afghanistan. Reports also indicated that travel documents had not been presented to some detainees.

Critics have questioned the need for such a complicated international transfer and warned that returning individuals who previously supported US forces could expose them to serious risks under Taliban rule. Concerns have also been raised over continuing restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan.

Washington yet to confirm arrangements

The US Department of Homeland Security and ICE declined to comment on possible removal operations, citing operational security. The White House has also not publicly announced the reported plan.

It remains unclear whether Pakistan has formally agreed to receive the Afghan nationals. However, a senior US administration official told NBC News that a charter flight from the United States could not land in Pakistan without the Pakistani government’s knowledge.

Previous third-country deportations

The Trump administration has previously transferred Afghan deportees to other countries, including South Sudan and the Central African Republic.

The legality of third-country deportation arrangements is also expected to come under consideration by the US Supreme Court in December 2026, potentially adding another legal dimension to the administration’s removal policies.

The proposed operation has therefore drawn attention to the legal, diplomatic and humanitarian implications of using Pakistan as a transit point for Afghan nationals facing removal from the United States.