U.S. Sends Second Deportation Flight to Eswatini Amid Human Rights Concerns

MANZINI, Eswatini – The U.S. government confirmed Monday it has sent a second deportation flight to the small African nation of Eswatini, delivering 10 individuals who are not citizens of the kingdom. This comes after an earlier group of five deportees arrived in July.

Eswatini’s government stated that the new arrivals had committed serious crimes, although neither the U.S. nor Eswatini disclosed the nationalities of the deportees. Immigration attorney Tin Thanh Nguyen, representing some of them, indicated that three were from Vietnam, one from the Philippines, and one from Cambodia.

Human rights groups have raised alarms about the treatment of previous deportees, claiming they experienced solitary confinement and were denied access to legal counsel. Nguyen reported being unable to contact his clients in Eswatini due to restrictions imposed by the government.

“I cannot call them. I cannot email them,” he stated. “The Eswatini government blocks all attorney access.”

In response to the deportations, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson elaborated that the recent detainees were convicted of “heinous crimes,” including murder and rape. “They do not belong in the United States,” Jackson asserted.

Eswatini’s correctional services expressed commitment to humane treatment, stating that deportees would be held until they can be returned to their home countries. Local activists are challenging the U.S. and Eswatini’s agreement, aiming to halt the deportations.

International rights organizations have criticized the program for transferring deportees to countries where they might face legal issues and lack support. The U.S. has been sending deportees to multiple third countries, including Ghana, South Sudan, and Rwanda.