Rwanda has received seven migrants deported from the United States earlier this month, a government spokesperson confirmed on Thursday, marking the first transfers under a new bilateral deal.
“The first group of seven vetted migrants arrived in Rwanda in mid-August,” government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said in a statement.
“Three of the individuals have expressed a desire to return to their home countries, while four wish to stay and build lives in Rwanda.
Regardless of their specific needs, all of these individuals will receive appropriate support and protection from the Rwandan government.”
According to Reuters, the announcement comes weeks after Rwanda and the United States agreed that Kigali would take in up to 250 deported migrants, beginning with an initial list of 10 people for vetting.
Rwanda has pledged that deportees will receive workforce training, healthcare, and accommodation.
Makolo added that the group was accompanied by an international organization and has been receiving visits from the International Organization for Migration alongside Rwandan social services.
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A U.S. State Department spokesperson on Thursday referred questions on the deportations to Rwanda and declined to provide details of communications with other governments.
“Implementing the Trump Administration’s immigration policies is a top priority for the Department of State.
As Secretary Rubio has said, we remain unwavering in our commitment to end illegal and mass migration and bolster America’s border security,” the spokesperson said.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Trump administration has defended third-country deportations as a way to expedite removals of certain migrants, including those with criminal convictions.
Immigration hardliners argue the policy reduces risks from individuals who cannot be easily deported elsewhere and may pose public safety threats.
Critics, however, have condemned the practice as dangerous and inhumane, warning that deportees may be sent to unfamiliar countries where they risk violence and lack community ties.
Rwanda has in recent years positioned itself as a destination for migrants Western governments seek to remove, despite ongoing concerns from rights groups about the country’s human rights record.
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Image Credit: PBS NEWS
