Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a report alleging that the United States has been deporting migrants to African countries where they face arbitrary detention, torture, and persecution. Since the 2025 election, more than 500 individuals have been sent to nations such as Eswatini, Ghana, and South Sudan, a country that has been cited for repeated violations of the non‑refoulement principle.
The United States Department of Homeland Security claims these “third‑country removals” are a necessary public‑safety measure designed to keep dangerous, criminally‑involved migrants out of the country. HRW counters that the policy is a calculated tool to deter immigration by subjecting deportees to compounded suffering.
HRW’s findings outline that several deported peoples were chained on flights for up to 18 hours, denied basic necessities such as food, water, and medication, and were held in insecure detention facilities upon arrival in their destination countries. In addition, the report highlights that LGBT individuals—who have legal protections in the US—have been sent to states where same‑sex relations are criminalised, exposing them to potential persecution.
According to the report, migrants handed over to Eswatini, Ghana, and South Sudan were often arbitrarily detained and mistreated, with the United Nations human‑rights framework labeling these actions as violations of international law. While Eswatini has stated it is committed to protecting the dignity of third‑country nationals, none of the African states named in the report have yet issued comment on HRW’s allegations.
HRW stresses that the secrecy surrounding many of these transfers raises legal and ethical concerns, especially given the United Nations principle that parties should not return individuals to countries where they may face torture or cruel and inhuman treatment.
