Stand with refugees

URGENT: The government has halted all funding for recently arrived refugee families. Your support is needed now!

DONATE

The browser you are using is not supported. Please consider using a modern browser.

Skip Navigation
Act Now Donate
Start of main content.

Press Release

Global Refuge Urges Pakistan to Halt Afghan Deportation Campaign

Global Refuge logo

Global Refuge Staff

November 2, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 2, 2023

Contact: Tim Young | timothy.young@globalrefuge.org

Washington D.C. – Pakistan confirmed that officials have begun a campaign to detain and remove undocumented migrants following the expiration of a government-set deadline yesterday. The effort is poised to disproportionately impact Afghans who have found safe haven in Pakistan; according to officials, there are believed to be more than 4 million Afghans in the country – approximately 1.7 million of whom are residing without documentation.

In response to Pakistan’s push to expel Afghan refugees, Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President & CEO of Global Refuge, said:

“We are deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of displaced Afghans residing in Pakistan as its government begins a dangerous expulsion campaign. Sending back 1.7 million individuals to Afghanistan, a country already facing immense humanitarian and human rights challenges, would be a grave violation of the principle of non-refoulement – the bedrock of international refugee protections.

Afghans who previously escaped threats from the Taliban would undoubtedly face severe consequences if forced to return. Many of the families we helped resettle here in America have family members with U.S. affiliations in Pakistan whose return to danger in Afghanistan could very well amount to a death sentence. Women and girls in particular are poised to be subjected to extreme gender-based restrictions as part of the Taliban’s efforts to erase them from public society.

We urge the Pakistani government to withdraw its deportation order effective immediately. Pakistan has been a generous host to Afghans seeking safety for generations, and it must ensure that they are treated with dignity and respect in full compliance with its international legal obligations.”

The Latest

  • News

    March 7, 2025

    Global Refuge Joins Interfaith Solidarity Statement on Refugees and Other Immigrants

    On March 7, Global Refuge President and CEO Krish O'Mara Vignarajah  joined the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and other faith leaders in affirming our solidarity with and support of refugee and other immigrant communities. 

    Read More

  • Press Release · Refugee Resettlement

    February 27, 2025

    Global Refuge Responds to Sudden Termination of U.S. Refugee Admissions Program Grants

    Global Refuge today expressed deep concern over the U.S. Department of State’s sudden decision to terminate its grant agreements for the reception and placement of legally admitted refugees arriving through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).

    Read More

  • Press Release · Refugee Resettlement

    February 2, 2025

    Global Refuge Statement on Misinformation around our Humanitarian Work

    Global Refuge condemns in the strongest possible terms the false accusations lodged against our humanitarian work. As a faith-based nonprofit, we have faithfully walked alongside legally admitted refugees & immigrants for 85 years.

    Read More

  • Press Release · Refugee Resettlement

    January 27, 2025

    Global Refuge Condemns Federal Stop Work Order Halting Refugee Resettlement Assistance

    Global Refuge expresses deep concern and dismay over an unprecedented stop work order issued by the State Department, which halts all refugee reception and placement services under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.

    Read More

  • News · Community Engagement

    January 25, 2025

    5 Ways to Help Refugees & Immigrants in 2025

    Discover 5 ways to help refugees and immigrants in 2025. From volunteering to advocacy, learn how you can make a difference through Global Refuge, the nation’s largest faith-based nonprofit dedicated exclusively to serving children, refugees, and immigrants.

    Read More

Related Posts

Press Release · Immigration and Asylum

Congress Reintroduces Bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act

July 14th

More

Press Release · Immigration and Asylum

Two Years After U.S. Exit, Afghans Face Hardship at Home and Abroad

August 15th

More

Press Release · Refugee Resettlement

Global Refuge on NPR: Afghan Refugees Leading the Resettlement Mission

February 13th

More

Share