Afghan Refugees in Pakistan Face Growing Fears of Deportation Amid US Visa Suspension

Shakoofa Khalili anxiously awaited her husband’s return from the market when a sudden scream from her eight-year-old daughter shattered the calm. The child had seen police approaching her father outside their Islamabad safehouse and rushed to plead for his release, fearing the worst. This moment marked a distressing reminder of the family’s vulnerability since fleeing Afghanistan in 2022 to escape the Taliban.

The family, who had sought refuge in Pakistan, now faces the looming threat of deportation back to Afghanistan following an executive order by former US President Donald Trump that suspended the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). This decision has halted the resettlement of refugees to the US, including those with prior approval to immigrate.

In response to this policy shift, Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office drafted a repatriation plan for Afghan nationals, which could result in deportations by March 31, 2025, unless they are relocated to third countries. The plan targets Afghans who fled to Pakistan to escape retaliation from the Taliban for their associations with the US and NATO forces.

For many Afghans, including Khalili, returning to Afghanistan means facing the Taliban’s wrath, and the risk of torture or death. Khalili, who worked on a child abuse prevention program funded by the US Embassy, is among those who feel trapped. "For us, returning to Afghanistan is not just a risk – it’s a death sentence," she explained.

The situation has already had devastating emotional effects on Khalili’s family. Her daughter, after witnessing the police incident, has become withdrawn, speaking little and struggling with nightmares.

UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have voiced concerns about the danger of deporting Afghan refugees, especially women, journalists, human rights activists, and ethnic minorities, who could face severe retribution under the Taliban’s rule.

Shawn VanDiver, founder of #AfghanEvac, estimated that between 10,000 and 15,000 Afghans are still waiting for US resettlement in Pakistan. He noted that the US visa pause disproportionately impacts Afghan women, who have already been systematically excluded from public life under Taliban rule.

Pakistan has long hosted millions of Afghan refugees, but its stance has become increasingly hostile. The latest crackdown aims to push Afghan refugees out, and since November 2023, around 800,000 Afghan nationals have been deported. The remaining refugees, many of whom live in hiding, are bracing for the possibility of forced repatriation.

Khalili and her family continue to live in fear, knowing that the suspension of their resettlement process leaves them vulnerable to the Taliban’s persecution. "The suspension denies us the shelter and protection we were promised, leaving us at the mercy of the Taliban," she said, underscoring the dire consequences faced by many who served as allies to the US mission.