The United States and Rwanda have reached an agreement that will allow the African nation to accept up to 250 migrants deported from the U.S., according to spokesperson for the Rwandan government and an official who spoke to Reuters.
The deal, signed in Kigali in June, comes as former President Donald Trump’s administration continues its aggressive stance on immigration.
A Rwandan official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the U.S. has already submitted an initial list of 10 individuals for vetting.
“Rwanda has agreed with the United States to accept up to 250 migrants, in part because nearly every Rwandan family has experienced the hardships of displacement, and our societal values are founded on reintegration and rehabilitation,” said Yolande Makolo, spokesperson for the Rwandan government.
Under the terms of the agreement, Rwanda has the authority to approve or reject each person proposed for resettlement.
Those who are accepted will receive workforce training, healthcare, and accommodation support to help them start a new life in Rwanda.
Makolo emphasized that this would offer deportees a chance to contribute to what she called “one of the fastest-growing economies in the world over the last decade.”
The White House and State Department have not issued any comments on the agreement.
The Department of Homeland Security referred all inquiries to the State Department.
Former President Trump’s administration has made it a priority to deport millions of undocumented immigrants and has been pushing to send some of them to third countries.
That includes deporting convicted criminals to countries like South Sudan and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland).
Don’t Miss This:
Trump’s Deportation Plan Gets Conditional Backing From South Sudan
Despite criticism from rights groups accusing Rwanda of human rights violations, the country has continued to present itself as a willing destination for migrants unwanted by Western nations.
Rwanda’s Foreign Minister disclosed in May that preliminary discussions were underway to receive deportees from the U.S.
Trump officials claim third-country deportations help speed up the removal process, especially for individuals with criminal records.
Immigration hardliners argue this is a necessary move to deal with offenders who can’t be deported easily and may pose safety risks.
Critics, however, have slammed the policy as cruel, pointing out that it sends people to unfamiliar countries where they could face violence, language barriers, and lack any personal connections.
According to the Rwandan official, the U.S. will provide Rwanda with a grant as part of the agreement.
The grant letter was finalized in July, although the official declined to reveal the amount.
The deal could potentially be expanded beyond 250 people if both countries agree.
The official also clarified that deported individuals are not required to remain in Rwanda, they are free to leave if they choose.
Kigali will only accept individuals who have completed their prison terms or have no pending criminal cases, as there is no arrangement with the U.S. to allow prisoners to serve out their sentences in Rwanda.
The country will not accept child sex offenders. This move follows a pattern.
In March, the Trump administration deported over 200 Venezuelans, allegedly gang members, to El Salvador, where they were jailed until being released in a recent prisoner swap.
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that migrants could be deported to third countries without a hearing to prove they may face harm.
However, this legal issue is still being challenged in a Boston federal court, a case that could eventually make its way back to the conservative-majority Supreme Court.
While President Paul Kagame has received international praise for steering Rwanda from the devastation of the 1994 genocide into a fast-growing economy, human rights organizations continue to accuse his government of abuses and of backing rebel groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo, claims Kagame has denied.
Rwanda has also played a role in peace talks led by the Trump administration to end ongoing violence in eastern Congo.
In June, the DRC and Rwanda signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement in Washington, offering a glimmer of hope for an end to a conflict that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands in 2025 alone.
This is not the first time Rwanda has entered such a deal. In 2022, the country signed an agreement with the United Kingdom to accept thousands of asylum seekers.
That plan was ultimately scrapped last year by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer after prolonged legal challenges, and no one was ever relocated to Rwanda under the arrangement.
Don’t Miss This:
Nigeria Rejects Trump’s Push To Accept Venezuelan Migrants
Image Credit: NBC News
