• Trump pledges to help Afghan refugees facing deportation from UAE.
• UAE officials reportedly informed refugees of imminent deportation to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
• Human rights advocates express concern over the safety of returning refugees.
• Recent cable shows UAE has begun returning some evacuees to Afghanistan.
• Democrats are urging Trump to restore protections for Afghans amid ongoing humanitarian crises.

US President Donald Trump has pledged to assist Afghan refugees who are at risk of deportation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), amid reports indicating UAE officials plan to return them to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. “I will try to save them, starting right now,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, sharing surrounding news about the situation, which includes 32 Afghan men, women, and children who have been in limbo in a refugee camp for four years, according to trtglobal and aa.

The UAE initially agreed to temporarily house several thousand Afghans following the Taliban's takeover in August 2021, during the final stages of the US military withdrawal. Recently, reports emerged indicating that UAE officials had held asylum seekers' passports and conveyed that deportation was imminent. Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on human rights, termed the situation alarming and emphasized that those returned would face significant risks, highlighting concerns echoed by scmp and dawn.

According to a July 10 internal State Department cable, the Emirati government had already begun returning some refugees, stating plans to close the matter. Details reveal that two families were returned in early July, but also note that some refugees were pressured into signing deportation agreements or faced forced return, as reported by reuters and reuters.

The plight of these Afghan refugees has become a pressing humanitarian concern, not just for those directly affected but also for other nations involved in resettlement discussions, including the US which has successfully relocated many Afghans since August 2021. Advocacy groups, including #AfghanEvac, are urging immediate action to secure protections for Afghans still present in the UAE and in Qatar, highlighting the urgent need for government intervention, as shown by scmp and dawn.