The Trump administration has conducted another round of third-country deportations to Eswatini, a small African nation, despite strong objections from immigration lawyers and human rights advocates. Officials from both the U.S. and Eswatini confirmed that ten individuals were deported on Monday, marking the second such flight in recent months. This follows an earlier group of five deportees sent in July.
According to Eswatini’s government, the ten new arrivals are being held in correctional facilities until repatriation to their home countries is possible. A White House spokesperson stated that those deported had been convicted of “heinous crimes,” including murder and rape, asserting that “they do not belong in the United States.” However, human rights lawyers argue that these deportations raise serious legal and ethical issues.
U.S.-based immigration attorney Tin Thanh Nguyen reported that the deportees included three Vietnamese nationals, one Filipino, one Cambodian, and five others of unspecified origin. Nguyen, who represents several of the deportees, expressed frustration over the Eswatini government’s refusal to allow legal communication, stating, “I cannot call them, email them, or communicate through local counsel because the government blocks all attorney access.”
The first group of deportees included individuals from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba, and Yemen. Eswatini has since repatriated one Jamaican national and is preparing to send two others home. Meanwhile, the country faces a lawsuit from local activists claiming the deportation agreement with the U.S. is illegal and violates international human rights standards.
Eswatini’s Department of Correctional Services maintains that all individuals in its custody are treated humanely. However, reports indicate that earlier deportees were placed in solitary confinement, sparking further criticism. The Trump administration’s policy of third-country deportations continues to draw global scrutiny for its legality and humanitarian implications.