U.S. deportations to African nations raise human rights concerns

A recent Human Rights Watch (HRW) report accuses the United States of sending migrants to African countries where they are not citizens, often exposing them to abuse and violation of the principle of non‑refoulement. The study cites data showing more than 500 deportations since Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025.

HRW documents that a large proportion of those sent to destinations such as Eswatini, Ghana, South Sudan, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been arbitrarily detained or, after brief detainment, displaced to their home countries where they face the risk of persecution, torture or death. Several interviewees described being chained for 18 hours, denied medication, and left without clear knowledge of their destination.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security maintains that Third‑Country Removal (TCR) is an “essential public‑safety tool” that removes dangerous illegal aliens from society. It asserts that ICE has “diplomatic assurances” that deportees will be safe, once they are no longer in custody. However, as HRW notes, these assurances are not always upheld and the secrecy surrounding the agreements obscures accountability.

In addition to the general risks, HRW highlights that some deportees identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender were sent to states that criminalise same‑sex relationships, undermining protections granted under U.S. asylum law. Former U.S. officials have suggested that the policy is designed to deter migration by “scaring people” with the threat of being sent into unknown and hostile environments.

Neither Eswatini, Ghana, South Sudan nor any other named African nation has publicly responded to the HRW findings, though Eswatini officials cited a commitment to protect the dignity of third‑country nationals. The lack of governmental comment underscores a broader question of how such deportations align with international humanitarian standards.

The report underscores a growing tension between U.S. migration policy and global human‑rights frameworks, calling for greater transparency, adherence to non‑refoulement, and protection for all migrants, including vulnerable LGBTQ communities.