The United States has deported five individuals described as "criminal illegal aliens" to Eswatini, a small kingdom in southern Africa. According to Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary at the US Department of Homeland Security, these deportees have been convicted of severe crimes, including child rape and murder. In a social media post, McLaughlin referred to them as "barbaric" and emphasized that their home countries refused to accept them back.
The repatriation flight included individuals from various countries, such as Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba, and Yemen. "A safe third country deportation flight to Eswatini in Southern Africa has landed," McLaughlin stated, identifying the deportees as major threats to American communities. While Eswatini, ruled by King Mswati III since 1986, has not publicly commented on the arrival, it had been identified as a potential destination for US deportations earlier.
Recent changes to US immigration policy have enabled deportations to nations without direct ties to the deported individuals. Earlier this month, eight migrants were sent to South Sudan after a court lifted restrictions on such deportations. McLaughlin highlighted that the US is actively seeking countries willing to accept deportees for a range of nationalities.
This development follows the Trump administration’s aggressive stance on immigration, which has included resuming deportations even to nations unconnected to the deportees. Previous talks of deportations to countries like Rwanda and Angola have been reported, amidst ongoing reshuffling of US immigration enforcement strategies.
The situation has caused tensions internationally, with countries like Nigeria pushing back against receiving deportees, indicating their own internal challenges. This shift in policy aligns with Trump's campaign promises of strict immigration controls that resonated with many voters.
As debates continue over the future of US immigration policy, these deportations raise questions about the responsibilities and consequences for nations willing to accept US deportees.
