Eswatini Successfully Repatriates US Deportee to Jamaica Amid Controversy

Sun Oct 19 2025 04:48:04 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The government of Eswatini has confirmed the repatriation of Orville Isaac Etoria, a Jamaican man previously deported from the US, back to Jamaica. His deportation from the US to Eswatini was contentious, raising legal and human rights concerns.

Eswatini has repatriated 62-year-old Orville Isaac Etoria, who was deported from the US under stringent immigration laws and subsequently held in solitary confinement. His treatment drew widespread condemnation from human rights groups, which argue that he had established a life in the US after serving his sentence for murder. The Legal Aid Society of New York has voiced strong opposition to his detention, emphasizing the lack of due process in his deportation.

Eswatini's government has confirmed that it has repatriated Orville Isaac Etoria, a 62-year-old Jamaican man who was initially deported from the United States as part of former President Donald Trump’s strict immigration enforcement.

Etoria was sent back to Jamaica following a brief detention in Eswatini, where he had been held in solitary confinement since July. Upon his return to Jamaica, he received a warm welcome from family members.

However, the circumstances surrounding his deportation have been heavily criticized. According to the Legal Aid Society of New York, Etoria came to the US as a child and had lawful permanent resident status for decades before his deportation. The Society explained that he had changed his life while serving a 25-year sentence for murder, only to find himself imprisoned in Eswatini without due process after his deportation.

Etoria was one of five individuals expelled to Eswatini amid claims by the US government labeling them as 'depraved monsters.' Besides Etoria, the group included individuals from Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, and Yemen, all of whom were subsequently incarcerated at a maximum-security prison in Mbabane.

Activists and lawyers have expressed concern for the remaining deportees, who have reportedly been unreachable since their detention began. Eswatini's administration claims it is working to repatriate all those affected by the controversial agreement with the US, a deal criticized as unconstitutional by human rights advocates.

The repatriation of Etoria raises significant legal and ethical questions regarding the practice of deporting individuals to countries with which they have no substantial ties, a core issue during Trump's campaign.

Eswatini remains the last absolute monarchy in Africa and has been ruled by King Mswati III since 1986. Observers continue to monitor the political climate and human rights implications in this small nation as it navigates such complex international agreements.