US Sparks Outcry: Immigrants Deported to Eswatini Amid Grave Human Rights Fears
The United States has embarked on a highly contentious new phase of its deportation policy, sending immigrants, including those with severe criminal convictions, to the tiny African kingdom of Eswatini. This expansion of the Trump administration's "third-country" deportation strategy has ignited a storm of criticism from human rights organizations, who are voicing profound concerns about the safety and due process for individuals being transferred to a nation with a documented history of human rights abuses.
"Uniquely Barbaric" or Due Process Denied?
On Tuesday, July 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the arrival of a flight in Eswatini carrying five individuals from Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin asserted that these individuals were "so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back" and accused them of "terrorizing American communities," specifying convictions for serious crimes including child rape and murder.
However, human rights advocates are sounding urgent alarms. These deportations follow a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that empowered the Trump administration to deport migrants to countries other than their own without necessarily providing them an opportunity to present evidence of the dangers they might face in their native lands. Critics vehemently argue that this policy fundamentally violates due process rights and places individuals at significant risk of inhumane treatment.
Eswatini's Troubling Human Rights Record Under the Spotlight
Eswatini, an absolute monarchy ruled by King Mswati III, has a concerning human rights record that is now under heightened international scrutiny. Rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have consistently documented issues such as killings by police, widespread impunity for abuses, dire prison conditions, and a severe lack of political freedoms. King Mswati III himself has faced widespread condemnation for suppressing political dissent while enjoying a lavish lifestyle in one of the world's poorest nations, where political parties have been banned since 1973.
The government of Eswatini confirmed the arrival of the five deportees, stating they are being held in "isolated units" as "prisoners in transit." While attempting to defend its human rights commitments and claiming the decision to accept them was mutually beneficial, the profound secrecy surrounding any formal agreement between the U.S. and Eswatini has only intensified concerns among pro-democracy groups within the African nation. The United Nations migration agency is reportedly expected to assist in the eventual return of these individuals to their home countries, though no concrete timeline has been provided.
This latest move aligns with the Trump administration's broader strategy of "third-country" deportations, a tactic previously employed with nations such as South Sudan and El Salvador, signaling a determined effort to find alternative destinations for individuals whose home countries are unwilling to facilitate their return.
