US Deportation of Illegal Foreigners to Eswatini
On Monday, the United States deported ten illegal foreigners to Eswatini, marking the second transfer this year under an agreement for deportations to this southern African kingdom.
Officials from Eswatini confirmed the arrival of the group in the capital, Mbabane, early in the day.
The Home Ministry of Eswatini stated that the deportees are being kept in “safe facilities,” while preparations are underway for their return to their respective home countries.
This transfer is part of a larger deal signed earlier in the year, which allows the US to send up to 160 deportees to Eswatini. In return, the US is expected to provide over $5 million in support for logistics and administration.
Previously, in July, five men from various countries—Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba, and Yemen—were sent to Eswatini under the same program, and they remain in custody there.
The Trump administration had previously revived and even expanded a policy known as “deportation to third countries.” This policy is intended for situations when deportation to one’s home country is deemed unfeasible or impossible. It’s framed as a means to enforce immigration laws efficiently, especially if the original country refuses to accept its citizens back.
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the US Department of Homeland Security, remarked that some individuals taken to Eswatini are “unique and wild enough” that their home countries refuse to accept them.
However, this policy has faced criticism from progressive groups, who argue that it violates international human rights norms.
“This amounts to a human trade agreement,” stated Maria Santos, a legal analyst with the Global Refugee Advocacy Network. “Individuals are sent back to nations they’ve never seen, under questionable terms that strip away basic rights and dignity.”
A federal judge had temporarily blocked this deportation practice earlier in the year, asserting that illegal aliens should be allowed to contest removals that might endanger them. Nonetheless, the Supreme Court lifted this injunction in June.
The US-Eswatini agreement is the first such arrangement in Africa and may serve as a model for similar deals with other small nations. Analysts suggest that Eswatini, noted for being one of the last absolute monarchies, may view this agreement as a means to bolster its ties with the United States.
As of Monday evening, neither the US Department of Homeland Security nor the Eswatini government disclosed the names or nationalities of the latest deportees.
A statement from Eswatini mentioned, “One man from Jamaica has already returned to his home government, and the other two are expected to follow soon.”
