US deportations to African countries unlawful and exploit suffering, rights group says
News Source
β’Thu, 08 Oct 2026 17:16:32 GMT
π° What Happened
Human Rights Watch says the US is sending migrants to African countries where they are not citizens, in a way that breaks the law. Since Donald Trump returned to office in 2025, more than 500 people have been sent there, the group says.
HRW says some deportees were held without cause or sent onward to countries where they fear harm. The US Department of Homeland Security says these removals are a vital safety tool.
π The Backstory
Many countries refuse to take back certain migrants, so the US sends them to third countries instead. Trump made tough immigration rules a key promise in the 2024 election. Eswatini took in 32 deportees and says three have since left willingly.
HRW says people sent to Eswatini, Ghana and South Sudan were detained and mistreated. It says deportees in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Ghana were returned home despite risks, breaking the principle of nonrefoulement.
π― Why It Matters
These policies affect real people who may face harm. They also set a global example for how countries treat migrants and refugees.
Human Rights Watch says the US is sending migrants to African countries where they are not citizens, in a way that breaks the law. Since Donald Trump returned to office in 2025, more than 500 people have been sent there, the group says.
HRW says some deportees were held without cause or sent onward to countries where they fear harm. The US Department of Homeland Security says these removals are a vital safety tool.
Many countries refuse to take back certain migrants, so the US sends them to third countries instead. Trump made tough immigration rules a key promise in the 2024 election. Eswatini took in 32 deportees and says three have since left willingly.
HRW says people sent to Eswatini, Ghana and South Sudan were detained and mistreated. It says deportees in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Ghana were returned home despite risks, breaking the principle of nonrefoulement.
These policies affect real people who may face harm. They also set a global example for how countries treat migrants and refugees.