The United States has deported five convicted foreign nationals to the Kingdom of Eswatini, marking a new chapter in its controversial third-country deportation program, according to a statement issued Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The men — citizens of Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos — were transferred by plane to Eswatini in southern Africa under an initiative expanded during the Trump administration to remove individuals whose home countries have refused to accept them.
“These are individuals with serious criminal records whose home countries denied repatriation,” said Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary at DHS, in a late-night post on X (formerly Twitter). “They are uniquely dangerous, and deporting them protects American communities.” The move follows an earlier wave of deportations to South Sudan and comes after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted restrictions on deporting individuals to nations where they lack citizenship or legal ties. Since then, the U.S. has sought bilateral agreements with multiple African and Central American countries to host deportees.
So far, Eswatini’s government has not publicly confirmed any formal agreement with Washington or commented on the legal status of the men. It remains unclear how the tiny monarchy, with a population of just over 1.2 million, will handle their resettlement or potential detention. Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, is ruled by King Mswati III, one of the world’s last absolute monarchs. Political dissent is tightly controlled, with opposition parties banned and security forces frequently accused of repressing protests.
This deportation move comes amid broader diplomatic tension. While the U.S. seeks to expand third-country partnerships, some African governments, such as Nigeria’s, have rejected requests to accept foreign nationals deported from America. The DHS has also used this model to send hundreds of Venezuelans and other non-citizens to countries like Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Panama — often under the guise of temporary humanitarian arrangements. Critics argue that the practice raises ethical and legal concerns, particularly regarding the rights and protections of deportees in countries where they may have no legal status or support network.
