Kigali: Rwanda has announced its decision to assist the Trump administration with its deportation initiative by agreeing to accept up to 250 migrants from the United States. This agreement allows Rwanda to offer resettlement to those deemed eligible.
According to Deutsche Welle, the Rwandan government revealed this development on Tuesday, indicating its commitment to receive migrant detainees as part of US President Donald Trump’s strategy to deport individuals to third countries. Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo confirmed that Rwanda would accept up to 250 deportees, retaining “the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement” under the agreement.
No specific timeline was given regarding the arrival of the deportees, and there was no mention of any reciprocal benefits Rwanda would receive for taking in the migrant deportees. In explaining the rationale behind the agreement, Makolo highlighted Rwanda’s dedication to international migration issues and emphasized the country’s values of reintegration and rehabilitation. She reiterated that Rwanda would maintain “the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement.”
Makolo further stated that those approved for resettlement in Rwanda would receive workforce training, healthcare, and accommodation support to help them integrate into society and contribute to Rwanda’s rapidly growing economy.
The practice of sending deportees to third countries has been controversial. The Trump administration’s policy faced legal challenges but was upheld by the US Supreme Court. Human rights activists have expressed concerns that the policy may violate international law, potentially exposing migrants to risks such as torture, abduction, and other abuses in the countries they are sent to. The White House defended the policy as necessary for managing migrants whose home countries refuse to accept them.
In a recent instance, the US deported individuals from Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos to Eswatini, a nation in Southern Africa. The Eswatini government acknowledged that these deportees would be held in solitary confinement in prison for an unspecified duration, yet declined to disclose details of its arrangement with the US.