US lawmakers demand Trump officials halt plan to send Afghans to DRC

What Happened

Over 80 members of the US House of Representatives, led by Democratic Congressman Jason Crow, sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday demanding the Trump administration roll back plans to send approximately 1,100 Afghans currently stranded in Qatar to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The Afghans, who had worked with US forces during the war in Afghanistan, have remained in limbo since the US withdrawal. The letter, signed by at least three Republicans alongside Democrats, called the plan a moral and national security imperative and urged the US to honor its promise to these allies. The administration had been in talks to relocate them to the DRC despite an Ebola outbreak, a plan that Rubio acknowledged at a recent hearing, stating the US was discussing the matter with "multiple countries." The push comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order preventing Afghan refugees, including former military interpreters, from entering the US, following a 2025 attack in Washington DC by Afghan immigrant Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who was granted asylum under Trump.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The letter highlights a deepening rift between congressional members and the executive branch over the treatment of Afghan allies, testing US credibility in future partnerships. The bipartisan push, with at least three Republicans breaking ranks, signals potential legislative pressure on the administration’s refugee policy, especially as the special immigrant visa program faces skepticism from many Republicans. The standoff could affect the fate of thousands of other Afghans awaiting relocation and influence allied cooperation in ongoing and future US military operations.

Watch For

Monitor Secretary Rubio’s formal response to the letter and any follow-up statements from the State Department on the DRC plan or alternative host countries. Watch for potential congressional hearings or legislation aimed at protecting or expanding pathways for Afghan allies, especially as House committees like Foreign Affairs may weigh in. Also track any administrative action or court challenges regarding Trump’s executive order on Afghan refugees.