Democratic lawmakers and senior congressional leaders are sharply criticizing a reported plan by the Trump administration to send more than 1,100 Afghan allies to the Democratic Republic of Congo, warning that the move could endanger lives and damage US credibility.
The group of Afghans, currently housed at Camp As Sayliyah in Qatar, includes interpreters, former members of Afghan Special Operations forces and their families, many of whom were evacuated by the United States after the Taliban returned to power in 2021. More than 400 children are among them.
In a joint statement, Representatives Gregory Meeks of New York and Sydney Kamlager-Dove of California, senior Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, 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 US promises cannot be trusted,” the lawmakers said, urging the administration to reverse course and honor commitments to resettle vetted Afghans in the United States.
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 find safety in the United States, as previously promised. Sending them to a third country — or returning them to Afghanistan — would be “wrong,” she said.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, described the proposal as “unconscionable,” particularly for women and children who could face danger if returned to Taliban rule or sent to another unstable environment.
Representative Bennie G. Thompson also criticized the plan, saying 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 Congo after halting a resettlement program for Afghans who assisted the US war effort. According to an aid worker briefed on the discussions, the Afghans may be given a choice between returning to Afghanistan or being transferred to Congo, which is facing a major humanitarian crisis and ongoing conflict.
The Afghans at Camp As Sayliyah have been in limbo for more than a year. Many were brought to Qatar in 2024 with the expectation that they would soon be resettled in the United States after additional vetting.
In a statement released by residents of the camp this month, more than 1,100 Afghans said they had not been informed of any decisions about their future and had learned about the Congo plan through media reports.
“We are not told where we are going,” the statement said. “We are not told when we are going.”
The residents described deteriorating conditions in the camp, including widespread anxiety and depression, as families remain uncertain about their fate.
Advocates say the situation highlights a broader tension 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.
Details of the Congo proposal remain unclear, including whether all of the Afghans would be relocated there or whether alternative arrangements are under consideration. The State Department has said it is exploring “responsible, voluntary resettlement options.”
For many lawmakers, however, the issue is urgent.
“We made a promise,” Representative Crow said. “We need to keep it.”
