US Deports Migrants to Africa – Trump’s New Policy Sparks Reactions and Results
Fifteen Central American migrants were deported to Congo under a new U.S. policy sending unauthorized individuals to “Safe Third Countries,” sparking debate over its legal and ethical implications.
Fifteen illegal immigrants from Central America have been deported to Africa, according to the Associated Press. The distance from their countries of origin is approximately 7,000 miles. A representative of the Congo immigration agency confirmed the arrivals, although no details were provided.
“The deportees all come from Latin America, and the government of Congo intends to keep them in the country for a limited period,” said American lawyer Alma David, who represents one of the deportees and has been in contact with him since his arrival in Kinshasa.
The new policy sends illegal immigrants to “Safe Third Countries,” marking a significant victory for the government by bypassing legal procedures that many migrants use to prove that their home countries are dangerous for their return. This judicial tactic has allowed many migrants, including the fifteen sent to Congo and the “Maryland man” Kilmar Abrego Garcia, to remain in the United States even after a deportation order was issued.
As a result, more detained migrants agree to return to their home countries rather than engage in legal battles that could lead to deportations to Congo.
Democrats have expressed strong objections regarding the release of migrants to “Safe Third Countries.” For example, in February, House Democrats protested that the Trump administration spent $40 million to deport 300 migrants to other countries.
However, the “Safe Third Country” policy appears to save significant amounts of money by pressuring detained migrants to return immediately to their homeland before the government sends them to remote and unfamiliar countries.
This policy also facilitates the release of migrants from countries that refuse to accept their citizens. Countries such as India, China, Laos, and Vietnam have rejected the return of illegal migrants, especially criminals who have recently been released from prison.
So far, the Trump administration has signed “Safe Third Country” agreements with seven African countries, as well as several more in Central and South America. Migrants have already been deported to Ghana, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Uganda.
American officials are negotiating similar agreements with over 40 additional countries.
In 2021, the pro-immigration authorities of the Joe Biden presidency quickly annulled several “Safe Third Country” agreements that had been established during Trump’s first term.
