Human Rights Watch has leveled accusations against the United States for violating international law through its deportation practices, particularly involving migrants sent to African countries with which they have no connections. The NGO highlights that these deportations are being used as a deterrent against immigration.
Since President Donald Trump resumed office in January 2025, U.S. deportation policies have intensified. The administration has formed agreements with several governments, including those in Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific, to accept individuals who cannot be returned to their home countries. As reported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), more than 500 individuals have been deported to African nations that are not their countries of origin.
Additionally, a recent investigation by the Forbidden Stories consortium estimated that approximately 25,000 deportations have occurred globally under a third-country deportation program. Human Rights Watch described this policy as a violation of international human rights and indicative of an approach that exploits human suffering to deter migration.
The organization conducted interviews with 24 deported individuals across six African nations, revealing distressing accounts of mistreatment, including being shackled during flights lasting up to 18 hours without being informed of their destinations. A U.S. official, quoted during a Senate hearing, suggested that the choice of these distant locations was intended to intimidate potential migrants.
Furthermore, Human Rights Watch pointed out that several LGBTQI+ individuals were sent to African nations where their sexual orientation could lead to severe persecution. This raises concerns about breaches of the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits deporting individuals to areas where they may face significant human rights violations.
The details of many deportation agreements remain undisclosed, complicating the understanding of the conditions under which migrants are accepted and the benefits offered to collaborating governments. Reports have indicated that the U.S. is exerting diplomatic and economic pressure on African nations to comply with these policies, using tactics such as trade tariffs and development aid cuts.
