Trump says he is unaware of reported plan to send Afghans to Congo

President Donald Trump said he was unaware of a reported plan by his administration to send more than 1,100 Afghans to the Democratic Republic of Congo, responding to a question from a reporter about the proposal.

“I don’t know. I have to check that,” Trump said.

The brief remark comes amid mounting criticism from Democratic lawmakers and congressional leaders, who have warned that such a move could put vulnerable Afghans at risk and damage the credibility of US commitments.

The group in question, currently housed at Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar, includes interpreters, former members of Afghan Special Operations forces and their families. Many were evacuated by the United States after the Taliban returned to power in 2021, and more than 400 children are among them.

In a joint statement, Representatives Gregory Meeks of New York and Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California said the proposal would force Afghan allies into “an impossible choice” between returning to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan or being sent to a country facing a severe humanitarian crisis.

“Abandoning that commitment not only betrays our allies, it sends a dangerous message to future partners that U.S. promises cannot be trusted,” they said.

Other lawmakers echoed those concerns. Representative Jason Crow, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, said Afghan partners had risked their lives to support US forces and warned that failing to protect them would undermine American credibility.

“Going back on our word is a betrayal,” he said.

Representative Grace Meng said Afghans who had been vetted should be allowed to resettle in the United States as promised, calling alternative arrangements “wrong.”

Senator Jeanne Shaheen described the proposal as “unconscionable,” particularly for women and children, while Representative Bennie Thompson said it would abandon individuals who had risked their lives to protect American troops.

The criticism follows reports that the administration is considering relocating the group to the Democratic Republic of Congo after halting a resettlement program for Afghans who assisted the US war effort. According to an aid worker briefed on the discussions, those affected may be given a choice between returning to Afghanistan or being transferred to Congo, which is facing ongoing conflict and a humanitarian crisis.

The Afghans at the Qatar camp have been in limbo for more than a year. Many were brought there in 2024 with the expectation that they would be resettled in the United States after additional vetting.

In a statement released this month, residents said they had not been informed of any decisions about their future and had learned about the reported plan through media accounts.

“We are not told where we are going,” the statement said. “We are not told when we are going.”

Advocates say the situation highlights broader tensions between US immigration policy and longstanding commitments to Afghans who supported American forces during the two-decade war.

More than 190,000 Afghans have been resettled in the United States since 2021, but thousands remain in third countries awaiting decisions on their cases.

The State Department has said it is exploring “responsible, voluntary resettlement options,” and details of any potential relocation plan remain unclear.