Rwanda said it received seven people deported from the United States in mid-August under a bilateral agreement, the first transfer in a program that could send up to 250 non-citizens to the central African nation.
Rwanda Details Vetting, Support And Housing Plans For Deportees
Government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told the Associated Press that authorities vetted the group before arrival. "Three of the individuals have expressed a desire to return to their home countries, while four wish to stay and build lives in Rwanda," she said, adding that they will get health care, workforce training and other support.
Makolo said an international organization currently houses the deportees and will receive visits from Rwandan social services and the U.N. migration agency. Officials did not disclose the identities of the seven.
U.S. Third-Country Removals Expand Amid Rights Criticism
Rwanda is one of four African nations alongside Uganda, Eswatini and South Sudan that have agreed to accept some people deported by the United States under President Donald Trump's expanded "third-country" removals.
U.S. officials have defended the strategy as a way to remove migrants and asylum seekers who cannot be returned to their countries of origin. Rights groups have countered that sending people to nations where they have no ties can expose them to detention and abuse.
Regional Cases Highlight Detention Risks And Oversight Gaps
In March, the United States flew 238 Venezuelans to El Salvador, where authorities took them straight to the mega-prison known as CECOT, a facility widely criticized for abusive conditions. Human Rights Watch later said some deportees were forcibly disappeared before a July prisoner swap.
Legal challenges and safety concerns have also followed transfers elsewhere. Eswatini confirmed to AP that it accepted five U.S. deportees in July. A local attorney told AP sources at the time that prison officials placed them in solitary confinement and denied him access, prompting an urgent High Court filing.
Ugandan officials have signaled they will take limited categories of deportees, while civil society groups warn of opaque deals and thin oversight.
Rwanda, which has marketed itself as a willing partner for relocation programs, faces its own scrutiny. According to a report by Spanish daily El País published earlier this month, western governments and human rights organizations have accused Rwandan-backed armed groups of abuses and forced displacements in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, allegations Kigali denies, heightening questions about protections for people sent there.
Photo Courtesy: macondofotografcisi on Shutterstock.com
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