The US has reportredly deported five convicted criminals to Eswatini in a secretive expansion of its third-country deportation program, raising local and international concerns. (Photo: X/ @washingtonpost)
The United States recently deported five migrants described as “barbaric” criminals to the small African kingdom of Eswatini, marking a significant expansion of a third-country deportation program started under the current administration led by President Donald Trump, according to a report published by The Associated Press on Wednesday. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the move Tuesday, though details about the timing and exact location of the deportations were not disclosed.
In a late-night post on X, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the five men — from Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos — had been convicted of serious crimes including murder and child rape. “One was a confirmed gang member,” she reportedly said, emphasising that the men were “individuals so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back.”
They have been terrorizing American communities but are now off of American soil, the news agency quoted McLaughlin as saying. The names of detainees were not released.
Eswatini, a small country of about 1.2 million people located between South Africa and Mozambique, is one of the world’s last absolute monarchies, ruled by King Mswati III since 1986. Political parties are banned, with pro-democracy groups reportedly accusing the government of suppressing dissent.
Ingiphile Dlamini, spokesperson for Eswatini pro-democracy group SWALIMO, told The Associated Press there had been “a notable lack of official communication from the Eswatini government regarding any agreement or understanding with the US to accept these deportees.” Dlamini further said there was no clear information available on where the men were being held in detention, their legal status, or what the government planned for them.
Dlamini expressed concern that Eswatini, with its reportedly struggling economy, “may face significant strain in accommodating and managing individuals with complex backgrounds, particularly those with serious criminal convictions.”
The latest round of deportation to Eswatini follows an earlier deportation of eight men to South Sudan earlier this month after the US Supreme Court lifted restrictions on sending people to countries with no ties to the deportees. South Sudan has not publicly commented on the agreement or the whereabouts of the men.
Reports suggest the Trump administration is seeking similar agreements with other African nations. Talks are underway with countries including Rwanda, though some African governments, like Nigeria, have resisted American pressure to accept deportees from other countries.
Some analysts believe African nations may agree to accept deportees in exchange for economic benefits, such as trade concessions or visa access.
ALSO READ: Explained: How Trump’s Mass Deportation Drive Could Shrink US Workforce and Economy
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