The Trump administration has accelerated efforts to deport Afghan immigrants as part of its broader immigration enforcement push, with plans to remove more than 150 individuals in one of the largest single operations targeting Afghans in recent years.

Dozens of Afghan immigrants have been detained in Louisiana facilities, and the first chartered flights are expected to depart as early as Monday, according to court documents and officials cited in multiple reports. The removals will route through Pakistan, which will handle onward transport to Afghanistan, since the United States lacks diplomatic relations with the Taliban government.

This move follows the administration's ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration and efforts to end temporary protections extended to some Afghans after the 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. President Trump has repeatedly stated that such enforcement actions aim to enhance domestic security and restore order to the immigration system.

Many of those facing deportation arrived after the Taliban takeover, with some holding special immigrant visas or other protections granted under prior policies. Advocacy groups have raised concerns about potential risks upon return, including for relatives of U.S. military allies and others. However, the administration maintains that immigration laws must apply uniformly and that individuals without valid claims to remain should be removed.

Court filings in Virginia and Oklahoma detail specific cases scheduled for early November departures from Louisiana. A senior ICE official confirmed in one filing that at least one detainee was placed on a manifest for a flight to Pakistan with further transport to Afghanistan.

Pakistan has conducted its own large-scale repatriation of Afghans in recent years, expelling millions without proper documentation. The U.S. approach leverages similar third-country arrangements to achieve removals where direct flights are not feasible.

The operation underscores the administration's commitment to prioritizing enforcement over extended humanitarian programs, reversing elements of previous policies that allowed large numbers of Afghans to remain in the country. Officials have not publicly detailed individual criminal histories or eligibility reviews for those involved, but the scale signals a significant step in fulfilling campaign pledges on border security and interior enforcement.

Additional detentions and flights are anticipated as the process continues in the coming weeks.