GEOFF BENNETT: The Trump administration is preparing to deport at least 150 Afghans over the next 48 hours, first to Pakistan and then to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Many of those facing deportation are relatives of those who worked alongside the U.S., and they could face severe retaliation from the Taliban upon their return.

Here's Nick Schifrin.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Geoff, attorneys and advocates for Afghans here in the U.S.

and those stuck in limbo overseas say the U.S.

has not done enough for years for those who fought alongside or are family members of those Afghans who helped the U.S.

during its 20-year campaign in Afghanistan.

Tonight, a group of more than 60 members of Congress are calling on the Departments of Homeland Security and State to cancel the deportation.

And now they say the 150 Afghan deportees fear for their lives if forced to return to their country of birth.

We now turn to Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac, an organization which aids in resettlement efforts.

Shawn VanDiver, thanks very much.

Welcome back to the "News Hour."

Tell us about these Afghans who are being deported today, tomorrow.

What are their stories?

SHAWN VANDIVER, Founder and President, AfghanEvac: The simple fact is that these are family of people who served alongside our military.

These are women.

We know of reportedly three women who are supposed to be on this flight.

These are -- there's a police officer, a former police officer.

And it doesn't even matter what their job was.

The fact is that these folks have been here in the United States for a long period of time and now they're in grave danger, being sent back to certain death at the hands of the Taliban.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Talk about that certain death.

There are some judges who have ruled, no, the risk isn't that high.

What do you believe the risk is to these Afghans if they are forced to return to their country?

SHAWN VANDIVER: Well, the horrifying pictures in my phone of Afghans who were killed because of their service alongside us since the fall of Kabul would tell otherwise.

We know that people are being taken.

People are being harmed by rogue members of the Taliban maybe, but certainly people are being harmed,.

And that -- those judges, frankly, don't know what they're talking about.

They should read the country conditions reports that exist out there and are surely attached to those cases.

NICK SCHIFRIN: And, in fact, the State Department says that there is a risk to everyone going back to Afghanistan, as they call it, level four.

I talked to the State Department, the White House.

They referred me to the Department of Homeland Security.

DHS declined to provide any details for the deportations, but the administration has argued that they are deporting criminals from the country, including those who arrived here illegally, and that some of the deportees do have felonies.

What's your response to that overall argument?

SHAWN VANDIVER: Even if the deportees have felonies, which most of these folks don't have crimes -- we know that -- but even for those who do, whatever their crimes were, the sentence is not supposed to be death.

And that's why AfghanEvac is working alongside Congress and others to lead our campaign to stop the flight.

And your viewers can go to AfghanEvac.org to learn more and help us out.

NICK SCHIFRIN: And, finally, you and I have been talking about this for years.

How do you think today's deportation reflects a broader policy approach by this administration, U.S.

in the past?

Part of a trend or not?

SHAWN VANDIVER: Well, when this administration took over, we had some hopes that they would continue the safest, most secure legal immigration pathway that we had built during the Biden administration called Enduring Welcome.

They shut it down on day one, and every day since, AfghanEvac and our partners have been working against a hostile administration, an administration hostile to Afghans.

It's been horrific.

These folks do not deserve to live in this limbo.

It is quite literally killing them.

And I just can't imagine, as a parent, for example, not having held my baby for six years, almost six years, because whoever sits behind the Resolute Desk doesn't think we're good enough to be reunified with our family.

NICK SCHIFRIN: Shawn VanDiver is president of AfghanEvac.

Thank you very much.

SHAWN VANDIVER: Thank you.