The Trump administration has revealed a plan to deport Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadoran man who has been at the center of an immigration row, to the southern African kingdom of Eswatini. In an email to his lawyers obtained by the BBC's US partner CBS, an immigration officer said they were changing last month's decision to send him to Uganda. The officer stated that the change was made after Mr. Ábrego García raised fears of persecution in Uganda, adding that despite claims being 'hard to take seriously', US authorities would 'nonetheless' agree not to send him there.
Mr. Ábrego García was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March and then brought back to face criminal charges, with US officials acknowledging the error. In June, he was returned to the US, where he was detained and charged with human smuggling, to which he pleaded not guilty. Trump officials claim that he is a member of the MS-13 gang, an accusation he denies.
His deportation case has become a focal point in the administration's crackdown on immigration, considering he has no connections to Eswatini, which is now the fourth proposed deportation destination. Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is one of the last absolute monarchies in the world, led by King Mswati III since 1986.
The US has already deported five individuals classified as 'criminal illegal aliens' to Eswatini. This has raised alarms within the small nation, concerned about becoming a dumping ground for criminals. Importantly, it remains unclear if Eswatini receives payments for the deportation deal with the Trump administration. The US stands as the fourth-largest market for Eswatini's biggest export, sugar, which could motivate the country to maintain favorable relations and avoid tariffs.
Mr. Ábrego García entered the US illegally as a teenager from El Salvador and was arrested in 2019 along with three others in Maryland.
Mr. Ábrego García was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March and then brought back to face criminal charges, with US officials acknowledging the error. In June, he was returned to the US, where he was detained and charged with human smuggling, to which he pleaded not guilty. Trump officials claim that he is a member of the MS-13 gang, an accusation he denies.
His deportation case has become a focal point in the administration's crackdown on immigration, considering he has no connections to Eswatini, which is now the fourth proposed deportation destination. Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is one of the last absolute monarchies in the world, led by King Mswati III since 1986.
The US has already deported five individuals classified as 'criminal illegal aliens' to Eswatini. This has raised alarms within the small nation, concerned about becoming a dumping ground for criminals. Importantly, it remains unclear if Eswatini receives payments for the deportation deal with the Trump administration. The US stands as the fourth-largest market for Eswatini's biggest export, sugar, which could motivate the country to maintain favorable relations and avoid tariffs.
Mr. Ábrego García entered the US illegally as a teenager from El Salvador and was arrested in 2019 along with three others in Maryland.
