Van Hollen, Peters Urge Trump Admin to Cancel Mass Deportation Flights to Afghanistan and Iran

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Representative Scott Peters (D-Calif.-50) and over 60 bicameral Members of Congress on a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, demanding the immediate cancellation of any deportation flights carrying Afghans and Iranians, whether sent directly or through another country. This letter comes after reports that over 150 Afghans could be deported to Pakistan in the coming days, which would constitute one of the largest single expulsions of Afghans ever . San Diego has served as a primary hub for incoming Afghan refugees, with nearly 5,000 resettling in the region. The Members also expressed concern over another flight with a mass deportation of Iranians — the first since the U.S. launched its military conflict against Iran— and that relatives of Afghans who helped American troops could be among those on board. “Our nation made a promise to stand by Afghans who risked their lives and their families’ safety to stand by U.S. service members,” the Members wrote, adding that deporting them “is a violation of that promise and our moral obligations to the Afghan community who stood alongside our troops.” The Members emphasized the well-documented danger awaiting deportees. The State Department lists Afghanistan as a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” country, and for those who aided U.S. forces, “their assistance to U.S. troops puts a target on these individuals and their families to this day.” They detail the torture, detention, and extrajudicial killing of dissidents and LGBTQ persons, as well as the severe repression of women — noting that women and LGBTQ refugees could be on the flight. The Members also raised alarm over reports that Iranians, including women, Christian converts, and pro-democracy activists, may be deported to Iran, where they face imprisonment, torture, and a possible death sentence. “Sending people who sought protection from the Islamic Republic of Iran back to a war zone and a repressive regime is unconscionable,” they wrote. They cited how even President Trump has warned about the dangers faced by pro-democracy and anti-government protesters in Iran. The Members stressed that routing a flight through a third country does not change U.S. obligations, and urged the Trump Administration to warn Pakistan that the U.S. will not accept its participation in sending deportees onward to the Taliban. These individuals “came to the U.S. because they believed in its promise of democracy, religious freedom, and liberty,” the Members concluded, and “we must uphold those values and commitments, not abandon people to autocratic regimes.” “Sixty-six members of Congress, from both chambers, needed less than 24 hours to say what every veteran of the Afghanistan war already knows: you don’t hand the people who stood with our troops to the Taliban. When even the Taliban are voicing ‘serious concern’ about your deportation plan, you’ve lost the moral argument and the national security one. This flight isn’t immigration enforcement. It’s a betrayal with a boarding pass, and the whole world is watching whether America keeps its word. We are grateful to Rep. Peters for leading. Secretary Rubio and Secretary Mullin, ground this plane,” said Shawn VanDiver, U.S. Navy veteran and President and Founder of #AfghanEvac. "Having effectively dismantled our protection system, this administration is set to deport vulnerable people back to Afghanistan and Iran, in violation of our human rights commitments and our nation's values," said Sarah Mehta, deputy director of immigration policy at the ACLU. "So many of these men and women never had a meaningful opportunity to defend their claims and are now the casualties of this administration's assault on asylum. We thank Congressman Peters for his leadership and all the members standing against these unconscionable deportations back to persecution, torture, or even death." The Members requested an immediate response. The full text of the letter is available here and below. Dear Secretary Rubio and Secretary Mullin, We are writing about the alarming reports that over 150 Afghans could be deported to Afghanistan in the coming days. This flight has now been reported in multiple court filings and media outlets, and as the New York Times notes, it would constitute “one of the largest single expulsions of Afghans” ever. We understand that relatives of Afghans who helped our troops could be on this flight. We have also received credible reports that this flight will be followed by the first mass deportation of Iranians since the United States launched its military conflict against Iran. We are extremely concerned that sending vulnerable people who sought safety in the United States to Afghanistan or Iran will result in their persecution, torture, or even death. We urge you to cancel any deportation flights of Afghans and Iranians, either directly or through any other country. Our nation made a promise to stand by Afghans who risked their lives and their families’ safety to stand by U.S. service members. This mass deportation – potentially to their deaths – is a violation of that promise and our moral obligations to the Afghan community who stood alongside our troops. As you know, Afghanistan remains an extremely dangerous country, and particularly deadly for the people who supported the U.S. government and troops. The U.S. State Department lists Afghanistan as a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” list and where many of those on the flight are likely to be persecuted, tortured, or even killed. Afghans who helped U.S. forces and who were left during the speedy evacuation have gone into hiding, been targeted for persecution and in some cases killed. Their assistance to U.S. troops puts a target on these individuals and their families to this day. Dissidents, LGBTQ persons, and many others who do not “conform” to the Taliban’s extremely restrictive rules have been subject to torture, detention, and extrajudicial killings. For women, Afghanistan is the most repressive country in the world; not only are girls and women excluded from education and public life, but many have been detained and beaten by authorities for “morality crimes.” Women have been subjected to rape and other sexual violence by the Taliban and other authorities, including as punishment for exercising their rights to press speech or as “discipline” by a husband. LGBTQ people in Afghanistan, where their status is largely criminalized, are routinely targeted for abuse and sexual violence, and their families are also targeted and persecuted by the Taliban. We have heard that there could be women and LGBTQ persons on this flight; if they are deported to Afghanistan, they will face extreme danger. We are similarly shocked to receive reports that this administration may also deport several Iranians – including women, Christian converts, and pro-democracy activists – to Iran, where they face imprisonment, torture, and in some cases, a possible death sentence. The United States has not ceased its military operations against Iran, and sending people who sought protection from the Islamic Republic of Iran back to a war zone and a repressive regime is unconscionable. In the U.S. State Department’s last human rights report on Iran, in 2024, it recorded: “The government executed hundreds of prisoners, including many who confessed under torture and faced unfair trials. There were new cases of violent enforcement of women’s dress code restrictions. While some political prisoners, including persons detained in connection with protests related to the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, were released from prison, other participants in the protests were arrested, sentenced to prison and death, subjected to torture, or executed during the year. Restrictions on religious freedom were severe during the year. ” President Trump has himself warned about the dangers faced by pro-democracy and anti-government protestors, including women, in Iran, and sending these individuals to Iran would expose them to significant harm. Sending dozens of people back to one of the most dangerous countries on earth, and where they are likely to be targeted for their or their family’s suspected support of the U.S. government or criticism of the Taliban, is a death sentence. Our country made a promise never to abandon the Afghans who sacrificed their own and their family’s safety to stand with American service members. The United States is also bound not to return anyone to a country where they would face torture, and that obligation does not disappear because a flight makes a stop along the way. It is the policy of the United States not to effect the involuntary return of any person to a country where there are substantial grounds for believing they would be in danger of being subjected to torture. The New York Times has reported that the plan is to fly Afghans from Louisiana to Pakistan. We also urge you to make clear to the Government of Pakistan that the United States will not accept its participation in sending these individuals onward to the Taliban. Under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and Executive Order 13818, the United States may impose sanctions on foreign persons who are responsible for, complicit in, or materially assist serious human rights abuse. Officials who help deliver people to torture or death should expect us to press for exactly those sanctions, and for a full accounting of their role. We urge your agencies to cancel any plans for deportation flights to Iran or Afghanistan so that this administration is not complicit in horrendous human rights abuses. These people came to the U.S. because they believed in its promise of democracy, religious freedom, and liberty. We must uphold those values and commitments, not abandon people to autocratic regimes. We request a response to this letter by November 2nd and expect your assurances that these flights will not proceed. Sincerely,