The Trump administration is exploring options to resettle more than 1,100 Afghans, currently stranded at a U.S. base in Qatar, by sending them to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). According to multiple reports from Los Angeles Times, PBS NewsHour, Reuters, and The Guardian, these individuals include interpreters who assisted U.S. forces during the war in Afghanistan as well as family members of active-duty American military personnel.
Key Takeaways
The Trump administration is discussing sending over 1,000 Afghans stranded in Qatar to the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of efforts to resettle them amid a pause on U.S. immigration programs for Afghan nationals.
- The Afghans include interpreters and family members of U.S. service personnel who assisted during the war.
- Congo is one option, though talks with Botswana previously fell through due to visa bond requirements.
- Advocates criticize the plan, citing Congo's humanitarian crisis and risks for returnees in Afghanistan.
The discussions come after President Trump paused a resettlement program for Afghan nationals earlier this year. As reported by Los Angeles Times, Shawn VanDiver, president of #AfghanEvac, confirmed that U.S. officials briefed him about potential plans to send the Afghans to Congo. The group has been living in limbo at Camp As-Sayliyah for over a year while awaiting resettlement in the United States.
Advocates and former U.S. officials have expressed serious concerns about the plan, citing the DRC's severe humanitarian crisis. According to The Guardian, VanDiver described Congo as an unacceptable destination due to its instability and ongoing conflict with Rwanda-backed rebels in eastern regions. The UN Refugee Agency reports that over 8 million people are displaced within Congo, with this number expected to rise.
Negotiations between the U.S. and other countries, including Botswana and Malaysia, have been underway for months but fell through due to various reasons, such as visa bond requirements imposed by the Trump administration on citizens of potential host nations. As reported by Reuters, a State Department spokesperson stated that resettling Afghans in a third country is considered a positive solution.
The Afghans at Camp As-Sayliyah have been informed about the possible move to Congo but no final deal has been reached. Advocates argue that returning to Afghanistan would put these individuals, particularly women and children, at significant risk of reprisal from the Taliban due to their association with U.S. forces.
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