Source: www.MNNonline.org
Date: November 11, 2026
USA (MNN) — Court orders have temporarily protected some Afghans from deportation, but the fate of Afghan refugees in the United States remains uncertain.
Judges temporarily blocked some individual deportations amid reports of plans to remove about 150 Afghan nationals from the U.S. Advocates began raising alarms at the end of October when documents revealed administration plans to deport Afghans as part of a wider crackdown on illegal immigration.
Lawyers and advocacy groups warn that the current push could set a dangerous precedent for future transfers. Activists say Afghans forced to return – especially those who helped U.S. forces – could face torture or worse.
“Every person’s situation is different, but some people may face serious risk because of their past work, personal history, or beliefs,” FMI’s Nehemiah says.
“In Afghan political conditions, the Taliban consider everyone to be a spy who works with the U.S. government or the Western world, so the minimum punishment is death.”
Afghan allies’ hopes for safety face new uncertainty
As the Taliban returned to power in the summer of 2021, Afghan Christians faced intensified threats; militants even had a “hit list” of known believers. Thousands of Afghan citizens were evacuated and came to the U.S. after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Kabul.
A U.S. Marine hands out boxes of snacks to refugee children and families at Hamid Karzai International Airport, August 2021. Care packages with diapers, baby wipes, formula, and snacks were sent to the troops to help with refugee aid. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Photos released by the U.S. military showed hundreds of Afghans aboard military cargo planes during the evacuation to bases in the United States and abroad. Afghan refugee resettlement efforts drew both public support and opposition.
Those who supported resettlement, including many U.S. veterans who served in Afghanistan, envisioned a safe harbor for Afghan allies. According to the U.S. government:
More than 40 percent of Afghans who have arrived as a part of Operation Allies Welcome are eligible for Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) because they took significant risks to support our military and civilian personnel in Afghanistan, employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Afghanistan or our coalition forces, or are a family member of someone who did.
However, that hoped-for security has become uncertain for some evacuees. By spring 2025, some Afghans had begun receiving deportation notices; Afghan Christians sheltering in the U.S. were on high alert.
Afghan Christians face additional risks
Today, it’s unclear whether the reported group of about 150 Afghan nationals facing possible deportation includes any Christians. However, if deportations expand, believers could be at risk.
“A large number of Afghan nationals who came to the U.S. in 2021 or after that, many of them have placed their faith in Christ,” Nehemiah says.
A three-day-old baby born to evacuee parents at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, receives phototherapy for a case of jaundice at 521st Air Mobility Operation Wing’s Hangar 5 prior to boarding a flight at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Sept. 2, 2021. Master Sgt. Steve Brooks shields her eyes from the sun. Brooks is a Religious Affairs Airman from the Alabama National Guard serving at Ramstein in support of Operation Allies Refuge. (U.S. Air Force photo by Maj. Tania Bryan)
In many Muslim nations, “Believers from a Muslim background can face particularly serious risks because of their faith,” he continues.
“For these Christians, returning to Afghanistan may raise concerns beyond the challenges faced by other returnees. [Shia Islam’s] apostasy law says [if an] Afghan Muslim leaves Islam and follows any other religion, the minimum punishment must be death.”
In one court filing, the U.S. government said it planned to proceed with deportation flights as soon as November 16. “Pray for Afghans [who] are facing deportation. Ask God to protect them from harm,” Nehemiah requests.
“Pray especially for believers who may face persecution because of their faith.”
In the header image, more than 100 refugees begin boarding U.S. Air Force aircraft at Hamid Karzai International Airport, August 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo)