Eswatini's Secret Deportee Deals with the US: A Closer Look

Eswatini received four additional deportees from the United States, totaling 19 as part of an immigration crackdown. The deportees include nationals from Somalia, Sudan, and Tanzania. The US paid Eswatini $5.1 million for accepting them. The deal has faced legal challenges but remains in effect.

Eswatini recently received four additional deportees from the United States, raising the total to 19 expatriates as part of a continued immigration crackdown by the Trump administration. The latest group involves individuals from Somalia, Sudan, and Tanzania.

In exchange for receiving these third-country nationals, the United States has compensated the small southern African nation with $5.1 million. However, this ambitious agreement is shrouded in secrecy, provoking legal challenges. The high court dismissed a case related to this deal last month, but an appeal is ongoing.

Despite having served their sentences for various crimes in the U.S., most deportees remain imprisoned in Eswatini. Active negotiations with their countries of origin are still underway. This arrangement reflects broader trends in African nations making clandestine deals over deportees, often to considerable controversy.

(With inputs from agencies.)