Federal judge temporarily blocks the deportation of detained Afghans to Afghanistan or Pakistan

A federal judge in New York has temporarily barred the Trump administration from deporting detained Afghan nationals to Afghanistan or Pakistan.

U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni issued the temporary restraining order on Tuesday, Nov. 3, ABC News reported. It is in effect through Saturday, Nov. 7.

What the government told the court

A Justice Department filing indicated that "dozens" of Afghan immigrants had been expected to be deported during the week of Monday, Nov. 2, according to ABC News. Government lawyers then told the court that ICE had no planned or confirmed charter or commercial flights for those removals through the end of the week. Caproni ordered the administration to stick to that statement and noted that arranging such flights takes weeks. ICE declined to comment on specific removal operations.

Democracy Now reported that deportation flights had been expected to start as early as that week.

Who is affected

Advocates say hundreds of Afghans are being held in ICE detention in Louisiana, ABC News reported. Some of those facing deportation may be relatives of Afghans who worked alongside the U.S. military. Advocates warn that people sent back could face persecution under Taliban rule.

Shawn VanDiver, president of the advocacy group AfghanEvac, called the order "a reprieve, not a resolution." Rep. Scott Peters said lawmakers would keep pressing for answers about Pakistan's role and for legislation to protect Afghans from deportation, according to ABC News.