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Eswatini Holds U.S. Deportees Under Trump Immigration Deal

Eswatini Holds U.S. Deportees Under Trump Immigration Deal

Eswatini Holds U.S. Deportees Under Trump Immigration Deal \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Five immigrants deported by the U.S. under President Trump’s revived third-country policy are now in solitary confinement in Eswatini. The African kingdom accepted the men after their home countries allegedly refused. Human rights groups have raised alarms over Eswatini’s prison conditions and lack of transparency.

Eswatini Holds U.S. Deportees Under Trump Immigration Deal

Quick Looks

  • Five men deported by U.S. now held in Eswatini.
  • They are in solitary confinement in an undisclosed prison.
  • Eswatini confirms they will be repatriated “eventually.”
  • Deportees are from Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos.
  • Convictions include murder and child rape, per Homeland Security.
  • U.S. calls them “uniquely barbaric” and denied asylum.
  • UN migration agency says it wasn’t involved but may assist.
  • Eswatini’s agreement with U.S. remains classified.
  • Rights groups question deals with repressive governments.
  • Eswatini criticized for violent crackdowns, prison abuses.

Deep Look

In a controversial extension of President Donald Trump’s revived third-country deportation program, five immigrants previously living in the U.S. have been deported to Eswatini, where they are now being held in solitary confinement in prison. This latest move marks the first known instance of Eswatini — a small kingdom in southern Africa — being used as a third-party host country for U.S. deportees.

The deported men, originally from Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos, were labeled dangerous criminals by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, with convictions including murder and child sexual assault. According to DHS, their home countries refused to take them back — a longstanding challenge in U.S. immigration enforcement.

The Eswatini government confirmed the men’s arrival and detention but provided no details on the location of their imprisonment, citing security reasons. The local press has identified the Matsapha Correctional Complex, a maximum-security prison known for housing political dissidents, as their likely holding facility.

An Unclear Path to Repatriation

Government spokesperson Thabile Mdluli told The Associated Press the men are considered “in transit” and will eventually be repatriated to their countries of origin. She added that Eswatini will collaborate with a United Nations agency, presumably the International Organization for Migration (IOM), to facilitate their return. However, the IOM has said it was not involved in the operation and has not yet been contacted to assist.

“We are not yet in a position to determine the timelines for the repatriation,” Mdluli said in text messages.

This statement raises doubts about the legal and logistical viability of using Eswatini as a deportation stopgap — especially considering that the very nations that refused these men in the first place will ultimately be asked to accept them.

A Pattern of Third-Country Deportations

Eswatini joins a growing list of countries — including South Sudan, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Panama — that have been used as drop-off points for deportees under Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement policies. Earlier this month, eight deportees were sent to South Sudan, where they were reportedly held in converted shipping containers at a U.S. base in Djibouti until legal challenges were resolved.

Both South Sudan and Eswatini have authoritarian regimes, limited press freedom, and troubled human rights records — a combination that has alarmed international watchdogs and immigration rights advocates.

The terms of the deportation agreement with Eswatini are classified, according to Mdluli. No explanation has been given for why the nation agreed to participate in the program, though some analysts suggest that Trump administration incentives, such as foreign aid or trade leniency, may be part of the arrangement.

Critics Raise Human Rights Concerns

Eswatini is Africa’s last absolute monarchy, ruled by King Mswati III. Political opposition is banned, and protests have been violently suppressed, most notably during a 2021 pro-democracy uprising that saw numerous deaths and detentions. The Matsapha Correctional Complex, suspected to be where the five deportees are housed, is frequently cited for its inhumane conditions and abuse of detainees.

“It’s disturbing that the U.S. is choosing to send people — even convicted criminals — to a country where prison oversight is minimal and human rights violations are routine,” said one legal expert familiar with deportation cases.

While the U.S. insists that these deportations are necessary due to the nature of the individuals’ crimes and their illegal presence in the country, critics say such actions bypass international norms, undermine due process, and risk outsourcing abuse to governments with poor track records.

The legal basis for deporting individuals to third countries — particularly those with which they have no personal or legal connection — remains contested. Though temporarily blocked by U.S. courts in 2022, the policy was reactivated following a Supreme Court ruling that allowed deportations to proceed in select cases.

Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary at DHS, summed up the administration’s position:

“We are pleased these individuals are off American soil.”

But immigration experts point out that the policy sets a precedent where international law and human rights may be sacrificed for political expedience. With plans to expand the program to other nations, and Trump making immigration a cornerstone of his campaign, the use of third-country deportations is expected to escalate.

As of now, the fate of the five men in Eswatini — how long they will remain in isolation, what conditions they face, and whether their home countries will ever agree to accept them — remains murky. What is clear is that immigration enforcement under Trump is taking increasingly secretive and globally distributed forms, with little transparency and mounting criticism.

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