Eswatini receives 11 US deportees as part of migration crackdown

The southern African kingdom of Eswatini has accepted its fourth group of individuals deported from the United States, with 11 people arriving this week. This action is part of a bilateral agreement allowing the U.S. to host third-country nationals.

Thabile Mdluli, acting government spokesperson, stated that the deportees, predominantly from African countries, would be housed temporarily in Eswatini. She reassured that their fundamental rights would be protected in accordance with Eswatini's laws and international obligations. Measures are reportedly in place to safeguard the security of Eswatini and its residents during the deportees' stay.

These arrivals are expected to be accommodated at Matsapha Maximum Security Prison. Eswatini, a nation of approximately 1.2 million people bordering South Africa, began receiving third-country nationals deported from the U.S. in 2025. This program is part of a broader U.S. strategy under the Trump administration to deport individuals to countries that are not their own, when direct repatriation is not possible.

The terms of the agreement between Eswatini and Washington, including details about the deportees' nationalities, legal status, and length of stay, have not been disclosed by the Eswatini government. This lack of transparency has drawn criticism from human rights organizations and local civic groups, some of whom have legally challenged the practice of holding foreign nationals in prison without charge. Eswatini has indicated that the deportees may remain in the country for up to a year before repatriation.

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The government reaffirms that, during their temporary stay in the Kingdom, the fundamental rights of the third-country nationals will be respected and protected in accordance with the laws of the Kingdom of Eswatini and the Kingdom’s international obligations.