Mass Expulsions of Afghans from Iran and Pakistan Threaten Regional Stability

In a harsh demonstration of geopolitical neglect and shortsighted immigration policies, over 1.2 million Afghans have been forced to return home this year from neighboring Iran and Pakistan, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). These mass expulsions underline not only the precarious situation facing Afghan refugees but also the broader implications for national security and regional stability. Iran and Pakistan’s aggressive deportation campaigns are officially justified by claims that many Afghans are living illegally within their borders. Both countries set aggressive deadlines with threats of expulsion—a tactic that has uprooted families who fled decades-long conflict, pervasive...