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President Donald Trump said Sunday he would begin efforts to assist Afghan refugees who have been held in the United Arab Emirates for years, following reports that some detainees could be returned to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
“I will try to save them, starting right now,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, linking to an article by Just the News that claimed UAE officials were preparing to transfer some Afghan refugees to the Taliban.
The comment marks a notable shift for Trump, who campaigned on and enacted strict immigration policies, including a suspension of refugee admissions after taking office in January. In April, his administration also ended temporary deportation protections for thousands of Afghans living in the United States.
The UAE agreed in 2021 to temporarily take in thousands of Afghans who were evacuated from Kabul during the U.S. military’s final withdrawal from the country and the collapse of the U.S.-backed government. While many evacuees have since been resettled elsewhere, many individuals continue to reside in the UAE.
Nearly 200,000 Afghans arrived in the U.S. under the Biden administration as part of Operation Allies Welcome and related resettlement programs. Canada responded to a U.S. request in 2022 by agreeing to take in approximately 1,000 of the Afghans still in the UAE. The exact number of Afghan refugees who remain in the Gulf country is unclear.
Reuters reported that some nations have stepped up deportations in recent months. The United Nations reported that nearly 2 million Afghans have been returned from Iran and Pakistan over the past seven months. Germany deported 81 Afghan men on Friday, citing efforts to tighten its immigration policies.
In the U.S., congressional Democrats have called on Trump to reinstate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals, warning that women, children, and former U.S. allies face grave risks under Taliban rule. Many of the refugees in question include family members of Afghan-American military personnel, children approved for reunification with their parents, and Afghans who served alongside U.S. forces during the 20-year conflict.
Despite Trump’s earlier restrictive stance on immigration, Sunday’s statement signaled potential intervention on humanitarian grounds.
