The Trump administration has halted U.S. resettlement for hundreds of Afghan allies, instead proposing their relocation to the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to advocacy group AfghanEvac. This move affects individuals who supported U.S. military operations, including interpreters and special forces members. The plan sparks strong condemnation, with critics arguing it places these vulnerable populations at grave risk.
The proposed transfer would see approximately 1,100 Afghans, currently held at Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar, moved to a country where they hold no existing ties. These individuals, many of whom served directly alongside U.S. troops, have waited for years for promised U.S. resettlement. More than 400 children reside within the Qatar camp.
They face an uncertain future. Shawn VanDiver, president of the San Diego-based advocacy group AfghanEvac, confirmed he received briefings on the DRC plan from multiple officials. These individuals possess direct knowledge of State Department operations or work closely with the agency, VanDiver told NBC News.
He characterized the administration's proposal as an intentional strategy. "This is insane," VanDiver stated, suggesting the offer is designed to be so unappealing that refugees might choose dangerous return to Afghanistan. VanDiver highlighted the existing humanitarian emergency in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Central African nation already hosts over 600,000 refugees, a consequence of decades of armed conflict.
The DRC struggles to support its current refugee population, largely from neighboring Rwanda and the Central African Republic. "You do not solve the world's number one refugee crisis by dumping it into the world's number two," he added in a separate statement. The math does not add up. Officials from the Democratic Republic of Congo government and its U.S. embassy did not provide immediate responses to requests for comment.
State Department also offered no comment on Tuesday. However, a spokesperson previously indicated that the Trump administration does not intend to compel anyone back to Afghanistan. Moving refugees from Camp As Sayliyah to third countries, the spokesperson claimed, represented "a positive resolution."
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott offered a different perspective. "The American people have had to pay the price for the irresponsible way hundreds of thousands of Afghans were brought into the United States," Pigott told The New York Times. He asserted that the current administration focuses on "restoring accountability by advancing responsible, voluntary resettlement options." This statement contradicts claims from AfghanEvac and other groups regarding proper vetting under the Biden administration. Many of the Afghans at Camp As Sayliyah have already received approval for U.S. settlement.
This approval followed extensive security screening processes. Many of these individuals hope for reunification with family members already in the United States, including relatives of U.S. service members and veterans. Their wait has stretched for months, in some cases, years.
The camp itself, a former U.S. military installation outside Doha, was established after U.S.-led forces withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021. The State Department had initially set a deadline of March 31 to empty the camp. That deadline passed without resolution or public update.
This lack of communication exacerbates the anxiety among the camp's residents. VanDiver emphasized the DRC's inability to provide for additional vulnerable populations. "There's no jobs. They're in the middle of a civil war.
It's not a place for Afghans," he explained. He fears these individuals would eventually face deportation back to Afghanistan from the DRC government. Here is what they are not telling you: the 'positive resolution' is a euphemism for a dead end.
Conditions under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan present severe risks for those who return. Individuals who assisted U.S. forces face potential persecution, imprisonment, or even death. Women's rights have been severely curtailed since the Taliban's return to power.
The country also grapples with widespread malnutrition and a deadly conflict with neighboring Pakistan, which has conducted airstrikes killing civilians in Kabul and other areas. Returning to such an environment is not a choice, but a coercion. This proposed relocation aligns with the Trump administration's broader immigration policies.
The administration has blocked nearly all avenues for Afghan allies to enter the U.S. Since August 2021 until mid-2025, over 190,000 Afghans were resettled in the U.S. The current approach marks a significant reversal.
Immigration officials have detained Afghan allies and their family members. One Afghan national, Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal, 41, died last month after less than 24 hours in U.S. custody. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed an investigation into his death.
The administration tightened restrictions further following a November shooting in Washington. The suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, is an Afghan national who served alongside U.S. troops in a CIA-backed unit. He received asylum from the Trump administration last year, having arrived in the U.S.
This incident has been cited by some officials as justification for stricter vetting, despite Lakanwal's asylum being granted under the current administration. VanDiver indicated that the Trump administration has been negotiating with dozens of countries, many in Africa, to accept the Afghans from Qatar. These talks have likely been complicated by other administration actions.
Many of the same countries involved in these discussions have also been subject to U.S. travel bans or required their citizens to pay thousands of dollars in visa bonds before traveling to the United States. Follow the leverage, not the rhetoric; the administration's actions create a complex, often contradictory, diplomatic landscape. These negotiations run parallel to separate discussions the Trump administration has held with various nations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo.
These other talks focus on accepting migrants facing deportation from the U.S. pays millions of dollars to these governments. Some of these recipient nations have documented histories of human rights abuses. This pattern reveals a transactional approach to international migration policy.
Critics argue that the administration's treatment of Afghan allies could damage U.S. national security interests. Such actions may deter local populations from cooperating with U.S. forces in future conflicts. Trust, once broken, is difficult to rebuild.
VanDiver reiterated that the administration possesses the authority to bring the security-screened Afghans at the camp to the U.S., as initially promised. The ongoing uncertainty, he noted, has severely impacted their mental health. "They're reaching their breaking point," VanDiver observed. Why It Matters: This policy shift affects not only the immediate fate of hundreds of Afghan individuals but also carries broader implications for U.S. credibility and global humanitarian obligations.
Abandoning allies who risked their lives for American interests erodes trust, making future international partnerships more challenging. It also raises questions about the ethical responsibilities of a nation to those who assist its military operations abroad, particularly when their lives remain at risk. - The Trump administration proposes relocating Afghan allies from Qatar to the Democratic Republic of Congo. - Approximately 1,100 Afghans, including over 400 children, face this transfer despite having no ties to the DRC. - Advocacy groups argue the DRC, already facing a severe humanitarian crisis, cannot support more refugees, risking their eventual forced return to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. - The State Department cites vetting concerns from the previous administration, while critics warn of damage to U.S. Observers will watch for further details on negotiations between the U.S. and the Democratic Republic of Congo regarding this relocation plan.
The fate of the 1,100 Afghans at Camp As Sayliyah remains in flux, with no clear timeline for their future. Advocacy groups continue to press for their promised U.S. The international community will monitor how the Trump administration balances its stated immigration priorities with its commitments to those who aided American efforts.
Any forced return or further delays could trigger additional diplomatic and humanitarian pressure.
Key Takeaways
— - The Trump administration proposes relocating Afghan allies from Qatar to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
— - Approximately 1,100 Afghans, including over 400 children, face this transfer despite having no ties to the DRC.
— - Advocacy groups argue the DRC, already facing a severe humanitarian crisis, cannot support more refugees, risking their eventual forced return to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
— - The State Department cites vetting concerns from the previous administration, while critics warn of damage to U.S. national security and global trust.
Source: NBC News
