The U.S. plans to put over 150 Afghans on a deportation flight, and some of them are families of people who helped American troops during the war

The Trump administration is moving ahead with plans to deport more than 150 Afghan immigrants and asylum seekers, including the families of individuals who helped the U.S. military during the war in Afghanistan. The operation, which reportedly involves charter flights to Pakistan, could begin as early as Nov. 2.

According to The New York Times, the government has been moving detainees from various facilities across the country to a hub in Louisiana to prepare for the removals. The Times noted that by routing them through Pakistan, the administration appears to be finding a way to move people toward Afghanistan despite having no direct diplomatic relations with the Taliban.

The group facing deportation includes families of those who worked with U.S. forces, among others. One detainee is a gay man identified as Mohammad, who said he was detained by federal agents last year. He has reportedly lived in the United States for decades, having arrived as a toddler, and expressed deep concern about his future given his sexual orientation. “That right there is automatic grounds for imprisonment and execution there,” he said, adding, “I am afraid for my life.”

Lawyers are looking for ways to challenge the deportations

Melissa Medrano Henry, who represents Mohammad, told the Times that the government claimed to have obtained travel documents from Taliban authorities but has not provided details on how those documents were secured. Other families are also struggling with the uncertainty.

One woman, referred to as Charlotte, told NBC News that her husband has been held in detention and is now facing deportation despite his long-standing asylum case. “I’m just terrified that he’s not going to be safe,” she said, “or he’s going to be held in the jail and there’s nothing I can do.”

The administration has already used third-country deportations for Afghans, including sending one Afghan man to Africa whose brother had fought the Taliban as a U.S.-allied pilot. NBC News noted that this latest move has drawn criticism from advocates, who say routing deportees through Pakistan makes it more likely they will end up in Afghanistan.

Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac, suggested to the outlet that the administration is likely aware of the risks these individuals face. “You don’t have to be that smart to figure out that they’re sending them to Pakistan so that Pakistan will finish the job,” he said. VanDiver also noted that even those who did not work with the military could be viewed with suspicion by the Taliban.

Official responses to the planned flights have been limited. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security told the Times that ICE “does not comment on prospective removal operations, including flight schedules, passenger manifests, destinations, or individual case details.”

Meanwhile, a senior administration official, speaking anonymously, told NBC News, “The administration’s position is, ‘These individuals do not have status in our country, therefore we don’t really care what happens to them.’” When asked about potential consequences for those sent back, the official remarked, “I don’t think they care.”

NBC News reported that Pakistan is currently carrying out its own mass expulsion of Afghan citizens. Since 2023, the country has reportedly pressured hundreds of thousands of Afghans to leave and forcibly deported others. Afghanistan is also dealing with multiple humanitarian crises, including malnutrition, an ongoing military conflict with Pakistan, and the loss of women’s rights under the Taliban’s policies.