US Deports Afghan Military Ally’s Relative to Central African Republic
The United States government deported an Afghan man whose brothers collaborated with the U.S. military to the Central African Republic on Saturday, according to his lawyer Alma David and advocacy groups.
Deportation Details and Flight Manifests to Central Africa
The deportation flight touched down in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, on Saturday, according to Savi Arvey, director of policy, refugee and immigrant rights at Human Rights First. The aircraft carried 12 Afghans and eight Iranians, along with several nationals from Nepal and Nicaragua. Immigration advocates note this is the second known flight of its kind to the Central African Republic since June, following a prior removal that included an Iranian woman facing persecution.
According to court documents reviewed by The Associated Press, the young Afghan man is in his early twenties. A U.S. judge previously granted him protection against deportation directly to Afghanistan due to credible fears of targeted persecution by the Taliban. His family incurred severe threats from the Taliban because of his brothers’ support for U.S. military operations prior to the 2021 withdrawal.
Family Ties to the U.S. Military and Targeted Threats
The deported man’s familial background ties directly to service alongside American forces in Afghanistan. One of his brothers currently resides in the United States after serving in the Afghan National Army, which collaborated with the U.S. military before the Taliban seized political power, attorney Alma David confirmed. Another brother worked as a U.S.-trained pilot and was ultimately killed by the Taliban.
Despite these documented military ties and judicial protection orders against returning to Afghanistan, the Trump administration proceeded with the transfer under secret agreements. Immigration lawyers characterize these operations as a legal loophole used to indirectly return asylum seekers to foreign nations where they have no existing ties.
Immigration Policy Pressures and Legal Recourse
The Trump administration has carried out thousands of deportations to roughly two dozen countries that are not the migrants’ homelands, according to human rights organizations monitoring the enforcement actions. Navigating these complex immigration jurisdictions often requires specialized intervention. Families facing sudden removal actions frequently turn to immigration legal defense services to evaluate emergency stays and habeas corpus petitions.