More Than 80 US Lawmakers Urge Halt to Transfer of Afghan Refugees to Congo

DID Press: More than 80 Democratic and Republican members of US Congress have urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to immediately halt plans to transfer Afghan refugees from Qatar to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The appeal concerns more than 1,100 Afghan nationals who have spent years in Qatar awaiting resettlement in the United States. Many of them worked alongside U.S. forces during America’s two-decade mission in Afghanistan as interpreters, contractors, or security personnel.

Jason Crow, a Democratic congressman and former Army officer, said the United States has a moral and security obligation to protect those who risked their lives in support of the country.

The lawmakers called on the State Department to facilitate their entry into the United States rather than relocating them to third countries. Reports indicate that the administration of President Donald Trump has held discussions in recent months on transferring the refugees to the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country that has faced outbreaks of Ebola.

The administration’s tougher approach reportedly intensified after an Afghan migrant, identified as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was accused of involvement in an attack in Washington, D.C., in late 2025. Following the incident, Trump signed an executive order suspending the entry of Afghan refugees, including those who had assisted the U.S. military.