US Deports Brother of Afghan Allies to Africa

The Trump administration deported an Afghan man whose brothers worked with the U.S. military to the Central African Republic on Saturday, his lawyer and advocacy groups told the Associated Press.

The man, in his early 20s, had been granted protection against deportation to Afghanistan by a U.S. judge because of the risk of persecution by the Taliban, his lawyer, Alma David, said.

He was one of dozens of people on the flight, which landed in the capital, Bangui.

What the Sources Say

David said one of the man's brothers lives in the United States and served in the Afghan National Army, which worked alongside U.S. forces before the Taliban seized power in 2021. Another brother was a pilot trained by the United States and was later killed by the Taliban, she said.

His family in Afghanistan had received threats from the Taliban because of the brothers' work supporting the U.S. military, according to court documents seen by the Associated Press.

The New York Times identified the man only as Khalil and reported that his sister and father also worked alongside U.S. forces.

Savi Arvey, director of policy, refugee and immigrant rights at Human Rights First, said the flight carried 12 Afghans and eight Iranians, along with several people from Nepal and Nicaragua.