From war to hope to despair: The Afghan deportation crisis

September 13, 2025

Afghan refugees worldwide are facing a new crisis as countries increasingly adopt deportation policies, abandoning prior humanitarian commitments. Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Western nations including the US, Germany, and the UK are all participating in mass deportations that separate families and violate international principles of non-refoulement. These deportations are sending vulnerable people back to an Afghanistan suffering from extreme poverty, gender apartheid, climate crisis, and food insecurity affecting over 15 million people.

Who is affected

Afghan refugees and asylum seekers in multiple countries (Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, US, UK, and European nations)
Women, children, and elderly Afghans being deported
Families experiencing separation during deportation processes
Afghan translators and partners who worked with Western forces
Over 15 million food-insecure Afghans
Individuals with valid documentation being expelled despite legal status

What action is being taken

Iran is conducting mass deportations of Afghan refugees, with over 1.5 million expelled this year and plans to deport 4 million by the end of 2025
Pakistan has increased deportations since April 2025, with over 1 million Afghans expelled
The Trump administration is terminating Temporary Protected Status for Afghans in the US
Germany and five other EU nations (France, Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Denmark) are toughening asylum laws and restarting deportations to Afghanistan
Refugees are being seized without warning, forcibly removed from homes and workplaces, denied belongings and documents, and taken to borders without due process

Why it matters

These deportations violate the principle of non-refoulement and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Deportees face extreme conditions in Afghanistan including starvation, drought, and temperatures exceeding 50°C (122°F)
The Taliban may gain legitimacy through deportation agreements with countries like Germany
Deportations worsen Afghanistan's humanitarian and socio-economic crisis
Deported Afghans face extreme poverty, gender apartheid, climate crisis, and absence of healthcare and education
Aid workers report rising cases of dehydration, disease, and psychological trauma among deportees

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article. However, the article suggests governments should reduce bureaucratic delays, expedite resettlement programs, uphold relocation commitments, adopt a multilateral approach to resettlement, halt deportations, and extend humanitarian protections.

Read full article from source: Global Voices