A federal judge in New York has halted the Donald Trump administration’s plan to deport detained Afghan citizens to Afghanistan or Pakistan until Saturday; The verdict comes after human rights groups and more than 65 members of Congress warned of the risk of torture, harassment and death.
According to the Associated Press, the US government planned to transfer a number of Afghans from detention centers in Louisiana to Pakistan; more than 80 Afghan citizens, including women, members of religious minorities and people whose families have served in the US military, have contacted human rights organizations about the possibility of deportation.
Zia Ahmad Takal, Deputy Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate, has called on the United States to consider the legitimate rights and demands of Afghan citizens. Human rights organizations have also warned that returning these individuals may expose them to the risk of arbitrary detention, torture, and retaliatory violence.
The head of the Afghan organization, IVAC, welcomed the court’s ruling and said that this decision is a temporary opportunity and efforts to prevent the deportation of Afghans will continue.
