Trump’s plan to ship Afghan refugees to Congo: What to know

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Welcome to The Logoff: The Trump administration is reportedly hoping to ship Afghan refugees to Congo — or again to the nation they fled from.

What’s taking place? According to a New York Times scoop , greater than 1,100 Afghan refugees who're at the moment in Qatar at a former US navy base and who had been promised an opportunity to return to the US could quickly be provided a selection between relocation to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and returning to Afghanistan.

Neither choice is fascinating: Congo is at the moment dealing with a severe refugee disaster and ongoing preventing with a insurgent paramilitary group, and the refugees haven't any ties to the nation. However in Afghanistan, their lives could be in fast hazard from the nation’s Taliban authorities.

Who're the refugees? Lots of the 1,100 Afghans now caught in limbo in Qatar aided the US over practically twenty years of battle as interpreters working with US troops or served as members of the Afghan particular forces. Some, the Times reports , are relations of American troopers, and greater than 400 are youngsters.

Most have additionally already been screened and authorized to maneuver to the US, according to NBC .

What’s the context? The US took in practically 200,000 Afghan refugees throughout and after its chaotic withdrawal from the nation in August 2021, however the Trump administration ended visa processing for all Afghans final 12 months after two Nationwide Guard members in Washington, DC, had been shot by an Afghan nationwide who was admitted to the US in 2021.

What comes subsequent? This isn't but a performed deal, solely below dialogue by the Trump administration and Congolese officers. However it could match a well-worn sample of the Trump administration making an attempt to ship refugees and different immigrants wherever they will, no matter security or different moral considerations. Earlier this month, Congo agreed to obtain immigrants from third nations deported by the US, and at least 15 people had been despatched there final week.

And with that, it’s time to sign off…

Hello readers, pleased Earth Day! If you happen to’re on the lookout for some actionable methods to assist the planet right this moment, my colleagues over at Future Good pulled collectively some charity suggestions here .

If you happen to’re simply able to sign off, I hope you’re in a position to do it by getting outdoors and having fun with nature a bit of bit this night. Thanks for studying, and we’ll see you again right here tomorrow!