Kigali (TDI): Spokesperson of the Rwandan government, Yolande MakoloIn, revealed that Rwanda received the first seven migrants deported from the United States, in mid-August.
The migrants came back as part of an agreement between Rwanda and US, where the East African country will take 250 deportees from the US.
Makolo said that all seven individuals were carefully vetted before departure. Upon arrival, three opted to return to their countries of origin, while four expressed a desire to remain and build new lives in Rwanda.
She added that the government will support these people with accommodation, healthcare, and workforce training, all in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and local social services.
Rwanda is among a small number of African countries, including South Sudan, Eswatini, and Uganda, that have entered into similar deportation agreements with the Trump administration.
Human rights observers have criticized these deals for their secrecy, ethical implications, and potential risks to individuals relocated to countries where they have no families and relatives.
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In Eswatini, for example, previous deportees have reportedly been held in solitary confinement, prompting alarm from rights groups.
Rwanda’s agreement with the US, announced earlier in August, makes Kigali a partner in implementing the Trump administration’s immigration policy, which seeks to relocate migrants to third countries who are willing to receiving them.
According to the government, Rwanda retains the authority to approve each individual proposed for relocation and, once accepted, offers support to integrate the deportees into society.
Critics, once again, are concerned about Rwanda’s human rights record and the lack of transparency in this whole process. Some view such deportation deals as politically motivated, swapping human lives for strategic and economic gains.
Since reassuming office, Trump has dealt with migrants with a high-handedness never seen in the US before. These measures do not even spare international students enrolled in top US universities.
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