Eswatini authorities confirmed On Thursday, authorities announced that four more third-country nationals deported from the United States had arrived in the southern African kingdom as part of an agreement between several African nations and the United States. The arrivals are part of a broader U.S. practice of transferring migrants to countries that are not their country of origin.
The government of Eswatini said one of the people was from Tanzania, another from Sudan and the other two from Somalia. The government said it remains committed to “ensuring that the rights and dignity of third-country nationals are safeguarded during their stay in the country.”
The transfers follow previous deportations to Eswatini, which caused international concern. In July 2025, five men from the United States were deported to the country and subsequently detained, a situation that human rights groups said amounted to arbitrary detention without due process.
Human rights organizations have warned that such deportation arrangements can lead to prolonged detention and humanitarian risks. In October 2025, Amnesty International highlighted the case of a Cuban deported from the United States to Eswatini who began a hunger strike while in detention, saying the incident showed “the human cost of secret rendition agreements and unlawful detention without due process.”
Reports have also described harsh detention conditions faced by some deportees in the country. Reports cited by observers indicate that deported migrants were held in isolation in prison facilities in Eswatini, raising concerns about transparency and access to legal representation.
There were similar controversies in West Africa. Migrants deported from the United States to Ghana have done this allegedly ill-treatment during transfer and detention upon arrival; some claimed they were detained during deportation flights. In a separate case: deportees filed a lawsuit against the Ghanaian government for alleged unlawful detention following rendition from the United States.
The widespread practice of transferring migrants to third countries without clear legal guarantees may violate international refugee and human rights standards. Rights groups previously called for accountability after previous deportations to Eswatini and warned that deportees would face detention and limited access to legal remedies.
These deportation agreements reflect a broader shift in migration cooperation between Washington and several African states. Accordingly AnalystsSuch deportation agreements signal a significant shift in U.S.-Africa relations and have raised concerns among political observers about their long-term impact on migration management and regional diplomacy.
