Africa’s reaction to President Donald Trump’s migrant relocation plan has been deeply divided, with some governments signaling openness while others have issued outright refusals.
The mixed responses underscore how the continent is weighing diplomatic relations with Washington against concerns over sovereignty, human rights, and domestic stability, according to Business Insider.
CBS News, in a report shared by the BBC, claimed that Washington had secured a deportation deal with Uganda, under which Kampala would take in migrants who had applied for asylum at the US–Mexico border, including some from African and Asian countries.
The report suggested Uganda had agreed to accept deportees without criminal records, though the number it would host remained unclear.
“To the best of my knowledge we have not reached such an agreement. We do not have the facilities and infrastructure to accommodate such illegal immigrants in Uganda.
So, we cannot take in such illegal immigrants,” State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Oryem Okello told Reuters.
His denial adds Uganda to the list of African nations pushing back against Washington’s deportation policy, which critics argue forces countries to host migrants with no ties to them while the U.S. sidesteps its asylum responsibilities.
The Trump administration has defended the policy as part of its broader effort to remove convicted felons and rejected asylum seekers.
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Earlier this year, the U.S. deported migrants to South Sudan and Eswatini, prompting condemnation from rights organizations.
Nigeria has also voiced strong opposition. In July 2025, Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar flatly rejected Washington’s proposal, declaring that Nigeria would not accept “Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria.”
His stance, backed by Nigeria’s regional weight, reflected growing anger at what some analysts call Washington’s transactional approach to African diplomacy.
Libya’s rival authorities, both the UN-backed government in Tripoli and eastern militias, also dismissed reports of a deal, insisting they would not accept deportees.
U.S. court rulings have warned that such transfers would be unconstitutional.
Rwanda initially admitted it had held preliminary discussions with U.S. officials, but by August 2025 Kigali confirmed a formal deal.
The agreement allows for up to 250 deported migrants to be received, with assurances of vetting and provisions for housing, healthcare, and job training.
The Trump administration has already carried out transfers. Last month, it deported eight men to South Sudan, a day after a U.S. judge gave approval for their removal despite the country’s ongoing violence.
In July 2025, five men from Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos were flown to Eswatini.
The men, convicted of crimes in the U.S., were placed in solitary confinement upon arrival.
Eswatini said they would eventually be repatriated through the United Nations, but the move sparked heavy criticism from civic leaders and human rights advocates who condemned it as unlawful and an attack on sovereignty.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed the deportations took place on Independence Day, after the men lost a last-minute legal challenge to halt their transfer.
The continent’s sharply divided response highlights the complexity of migration politics, where U.S. pressure collides with African governments’ domestic realities.
While some nations see opportunity in cooperating with Washington, others view the policy as exploitative and dangerous, warning it undermines both sovereignty and international asylum protections.
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Image Credit: Reuters
