Rwanda has so far received seven such individuals, known as “deportees” in the US. This action exemplifies former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies that drew widespread condemnation. As things now stand, Trump could be starting his second term this coming January. Since then, he has taken steps to force migrants and asylum seekers to third-party countries such as Panama and El Salvador.
Under Trump’s administration, El Salvador has been the key country of focus for the deportation of Venezuelan migrants. The country now shelters for hundreds of deportees under its Terrorism Confinement Centre (CECOT), a center denounced for human rights violations. A government spokesperson in El Salvador stated that five deportees received in July would face solitary confinement in the nation’s prisons.
Rwanda’s deal with Trump’s administration brings the total number it may accept to 250 people deported from the US. We still don’t know the names of those seven deportees. In the meantime, the US government has refused to issue a public statement on their most recent unlawful deportation to Rwanda.
Yolande Makolo, spokesperson for the government of Rwanda, attempted to quell alarm among would-be deportees. She assured that they were put through a rigorous vetting process before coming. She stressed that the Rwandan government, in partnership with the US government, is committed to providing adequate support and protection to these people.
“Regardless of their specific needs, all of these individuals will receive appropriate support and protection from the Rwandan government.” – Yolande Makolo
Makolo stressed that three of the deportees desire to be returned home to their home countries. Meanwhile, of the remaining four, all said they wanted to remain in Rwanda and develop their lives there.
As Trump continues his campaign for re-election in 2024. He pledged for mass deportation and has referred to immigration as an “invasion” of “criminals.” To realize this strategy, his administration has sought agreements with a dozen third-party countries, including four in Africa. In addition to Rwanda, Uganda, Eswatini and South Sudan have all recently committed to receiving non-citizen deportees from the US.
In comparison, The Bahamas has turned down offers to take non-citizen deportees under Trump’s programs. Supporters of the original agreement frame the differences as a sign of democratic backsliding and a dispute over humane treatment of migrants.
The crackdown in El Salvador has been widely condemned by human rights advocates. Sibusiso Nhlabatsi, an attorney for five of the deportees sent to El Salvador, is concerned with his clients’ access. For example, he has made known that he was refused visitation rights.
The point of these policies goes beyond any single case. Beyond that, they raise serious and urgent questions about how deportees are treated in receiving countries. These concerns emphasize the deeply humanitarian consequences of such agreements. As countries continue to find their place in their roles to constrict or facilitate immigration across the world, the process is still shaky and arguable.
