Rwanda said it had received seven people deported from the US, becoming the latest African country to confirm arrivals under US President Donald Trump’s controversial “third-country” migration deals as Washington pursues a wide-ranging immigration crackdown.
The White House has enlisted multiple African and Latin American countries to take in those being removed from the US — even if they are not nationals — as part of its efforts, even reportedly threatening full visa bans if countries do not agree.
Rwanda’s agreement with the US could see the transfer of up to 250 people to the east African country. Kigali has said that it will provide those transferred with accommodation, health care, and training, and positions itself as one of Africa’s most stable nations. But migration rights activists say the deals being struck by Washington may violate international law by sending deportees to countries where they risk persecution.
Eswatini, South Sudan, and Uganda are other African countries that have agreed to receive deportees from the US. But Nigeria has refused to do so. In July, Nigeria’s foreign minister said the country did not have the capacity to take in deportees and quoted 1990s American rappers Public Enemy to make his point.