ESWATINI — A fourth group of US deportees has arrived in Eswatini, marking the latest development in President Donald Trump’s expansive immigration crackdown. The recent expulsion involves 11 migrants and has raised significant legal concerns, as a US immigration attorney familiar with the cases revealed that at least two individuals possess legal protections that should have shielded them from removal.
This latest arrival is part of an unprecedented third-country deportation agreement. Since the initiative began in July 2025, a total of 19 individuals have been sent to the southern African nation. While two of those previously deported—a Jamaican national and a Cambodian national—have since been repatriated to their home countries, the remaining 17 individuals are currently detained in a high-security prison without formal charges.
Eswatini, recognized as Africa’s last absolute monarchy, acknowledged last year that it received approximately $5 million from the United States in exchange for accepting the deportees. The financial arrangement has drawn intense scrutiny from international observers and legal experts.
Human rights organizations and legal advocates have heavily criticized the arrangement. Advocates argue that the deportation scheme bypasses essential legal safeguards for vulnerable migrants. Furthermore, King Swati III’s government faces ongoing accusations of severe human rights violations. Highlighting the severity of the situation, Amnesty International has publicly condemned the US deportation scheme to the region as “deeply abusive.”
