Rwanda has agreed to take in illegal immigrants deported from the United States amid the Trump administration’s plans to send deportees to third countries. The agreement adds Rwanda to the list of countries already accepting U.S. deportees, which include South Sudan and Eswatini. Under the agreement, Rwanda will take up to 250 deportees, with the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement, according to Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo.
The move comes as part of the Trump administration’s strategy to remove illegal immigrants from U.S. communities. Last month, the administration sent 13 men it described as dangerous criminals to South Sudan and Eswatini in Africa after their native countries refused to take them back. The U.S. has been seeking more agreements with African nations to facilitate deportations.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in early July in favor of the Trump administration, allowing it to deport certain migrants to countries other than their homeland. The administration has also deported hundreds of Venezuelans and others to Costa Rica, Panama, and El Salvador.
Earlier this year, Rwanda had struck a deal with the United Kingdom to accept migrants who arrived there to claim asylum. However, the deal was scrapped after Britain’s Labour government took over. Critics have raised concerns about Rwanda’s human rights record and the potential dangers for refugees. In 2023, Britain’s Supreme Court ruled that the deal was unlawful because Rwanda was not a safe third country for migrants.