Activists and human rights organizations have accused U.S. President Donald Trump of using African nations as a “dumping ground” for criminals he seeks to deport after five men were sent from the U.S. to the small kingdom of Eswatini.
On July 16, a deportation flight carrying five men from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba, and Yemen—each convicted of crimes in the U.S.—arrived in Eswatini, the last African country ruled by a monarch with absolute authority. These deportations were part of Trump’s “third country” strategy to send individuals to nations unwilling to accept them.
Eswatini is the second African country to which the U.S. has deported criminals. Earlier this month, Washington also announced the deportation of eight “uniquely barbaric monsters” to war-torn South Sudan.
Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for the deportation of foreign nationals to unrelated third countries. Since then, international human rights groups and civil society organizations from African nations have expressed concern over potential human rights violations.
“The U.S. government views us as a criminal dumping ground and disrespects the Emaswati people,” said Wandile Dludlu, a pro-democracy activist and deputy president of Eswatini's largest opposition movement, the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO). The party, PUDEMO, is banned in Eswatini.
So, is Trump intent on turning African nations into a “dumping ground” for deportees?
Who are the five men Trump deported to Eswatini?
This month, Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, stated that the deportation flight to Eswatini carried “individuals so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back.”
Without disclosing their names, McLaughlin confirmed that the five individuals were nationals from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba, and Yemen.
She stated that all of them were convicted criminals—charged with offenses such as child rape, murder, robbery, gang affiliation, and homicide—and had received prison sentences of up to 25 years.
What agreement has the Trump administration made with Eswatini?
Trump secured his victory in last year’s presidential election with mass deportations as a central part of his campaign.
Since then, the Trump administration has been negotiating third-country deportation agreements with several nations, including Eswatini. This will allow the U.S. to deport foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes who have been rejected by their home countries.
While the specific terms remain classified, Eswatini’s acting spokesperson, Thabile Mdluli, stated that the agreement with the U.S. came after “months of robust high-level engagements.”
Mdluli also mentioned that the kingdom would work with the White House and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) “to facilitate the transit of these inmates to their countries of origin.”
However, she noted that “there are no timelines at present” for their repatriation, as she told CNN in an interview.
Daniel Akech, a senior analyst for South Sudan at the International Crisis Group, told Al Jazeera that some African governments are agreeing to receive convicted deportees as a “goodwill gesture” in an effort to improve U.S. relations and stay in Trump’s favor.
He also said these governments have “implicitly dismissed human rights concerns and the lack of transparency about how the safety of third-country nationals is being ensured.”
Akech suggested that the African Union and the United Nations could work with receiving countries to monitor the deportation process, ensuring that the deportees' safety and living conditions are upheld.
“The areas where these deportees stay could face conflicts, and this would require plans on how to ensure their safety or safe transfer within the country or outside,” Akech said.
What do we know about Eswatini?
Eswatini is a small, landlocked kingdom in Southern Africa, bordered by South Africa and Mozambique. It is one of the few countries in the world that still operates as an absolute monarchy, with all power vested in the king, currently King Mswati III.
Under British colonial rule, which ended in 1968, the country was known as Swaziland. It was renamed Eswatini by the king in 2018.
King Mswati III has been in power since 1986, when he ascended to the throne at the age of 18, following the death of his father, King Sobhuza II, in 1982.
He added that Eswatini and South Sudan are “smaller economies with no geopolitical weight” on which White House officials could easily “impose their will”.
What does the Eswatini government say?
In a public statement, Mdluli reassured the people of Eswatini that the arrival of five third-country deportees from the U.S. “poses no security threat to the Nation.”
The statement emphasized that the five prisoners would be placed in correctional facilities within isolated units “where similar offenders are kept.”
Regarding bilateral discussions with the White House, Mdluli mentioned that the “engagements considered every avenue, including rigorous risk assessments and careful consideration for the safety and security of citizens.”
Which other African nations does Trump hope to negotiate deportation deals with?
In addition to Eswatini and South Sudan, Trump has discussed third-country deportation deals with the leaders of Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Gabon during a summit at the White House this month.
Trump reportedly addressed migration, including the need for countries to accept the return of nationals who do not have the right to stay in the U.S., and the possibility of accepting deported citizens of third countries.
Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, said the administration hopes to strike deals with “many countries” to accept deported migrants.
“If there is a significant public threat or national security threat, there’s one thing for sure: They’re not walking the streets of this country. We’ll find a third, safe nation to send them to, and we’re doing it,” he said.
Rwanda has confirmed it is in talks with the Trump administration for a similar deal, while Nigeria has rejected pressure to agree to such an arrangement.
Which other countries have considered a third-country deportation policy?
United Kingdom
The UK has explored third-country deportation policies as part of its efforts to manage irregular migration and asylum claims. Under the previous Conservative government, the UK partnered with Rwanda in 2022 to relocate asylum seekers for processing, committing 370 million pounds ($497 million) in development funding over five years in exchange.
However, the UK Supreme Court struck down the plan in November 2023, citing violations of international human rights norms, particularly Rwanda's inadequate asylum system and human rights concerns. In response, the UK government passed the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act 2024, which declared Rwanda a “safe country” and limited legal challenges to the policy.
After the Labour Party's victory in the July 2024 elections, Prime Minister Keir Starmer swiftly ended the Rwanda scheme. Nevertheless, Starmer mentioned in May that he was in discussions with “a number of countries” about creating “return hubs” for undocumented immigrants.
Israel
Israel also implemented a third-country deportation arrangement, primarily targeting African asylum seekers, by sending them to countries like Rwanda and Uganda from 2013 to 2018. The government offered $3,500 per person to those agreeing to leave.
In 2018, Israel’s Supreme Court effectively dismantled the policy, ruling it unlawful in part due to the failure of the receiving countries to guarantee protections and uphold international obligations under the Refugee Convention.
Ogunmodede said that the UK’s and Israel’s deals with African nations amounted to the “outsourcing of the migration problem.” He added that now, the U.S. under the Trump administration is “using a carrot and stick approach to getting countries around the world to comply with the things that they want.”