Fifteen people deported from the US, who are reportedly from South America, have arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is the first group of an unknown number of individuals that the US has expelled which the DR Congo had agreed to take in. The government in Kinshasa has stressed that their stay in the country is only temporary and that Washington is funding 'their reception, support, and care'.
The US has already sent deportees to several other African countries, including Ghana, South Sudan, and Eswatini, as part of the ongoing crackdown on immigration. When the details of the deportation agreement first emerged, the Congolese government indicated that receiving these so-called third-country migrants reflects its commitment to human dignity, the protection of migrant rights, and international solidarity.
Moreover, the Congolese authorities clarified that this arrangement is not a 'permanent relocation mechanism or an outsourcing of migration policies'. The US State Department stated that while it doesn’t comment on diplomatic communications with other governments, it remains steadfast in its commitment to curtail illegal and mass immigration and bolster US border security.
Since President Donald Trump took office, the US has deported numerous individuals to third countries as part of its stringent immigration policies. According to a minority report from the US Senate's committee on foreign relations, the Trump administration has likely spent over $40 million on such third-country deportations up to January 2026.
The US has also provided over $32 million directly to five countries – Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini, and Palau. Additionally, the US is negotiating a minerals deal with DR Congo to gain access to its vast reserves of essential metals, while also facilitating a peace agreement between the DR Congo and Rwanda amid ongoing tensions in the region.
The US has already sent deportees to several other African countries, including Ghana, South Sudan, and Eswatini, as part of the ongoing crackdown on immigration. When the details of the deportation agreement first emerged, the Congolese government indicated that receiving these so-called third-country migrants reflects its commitment to human dignity, the protection of migrant rights, and international solidarity.
Moreover, the Congolese authorities clarified that this arrangement is not a 'permanent relocation mechanism or an outsourcing of migration policies'. The US State Department stated that while it doesn’t comment on diplomatic communications with other governments, it remains steadfast in its commitment to curtail illegal and mass immigration and bolster US border security.
Since President Donald Trump took office, the US has deported numerous individuals to third countries as part of its stringent immigration policies. According to a minority report from the US Senate's committee on foreign relations, the Trump administration has likely spent over $40 million on such third-country deportations up to January 2026.
The US has also provided over $32 million directly to five countries – Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini, and Palau. Additionally, the US is negotiating a minerals deal with DR Congo to gain access to its vast reserves of essential metals, while also facilitating a peace agreement between the DR Congo and Rwanda amid ongoing tensions in the region.
