Who Are They & What Crimes Were They Convicted Of?
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin disclosed via social media that the deportees were convicted of violent offenses including child rape and murder, with DHS branding them “depraved monsters”. The U.S. contended their countries of origin refused to take them.
Transit in Eswatini
After a flight to Eswatini, the five are currently held in isolation at the Matsapha Correctional Complex near Mbabane, though Eswatini officials have not publicly named the facility. Thabile Mdluli, a government spokesperson, confirmed:
- They are held in isolated units with inmates convicted of similar crimes.
- Eswatini “acknowledges widespread concern” but asserts there’s no threat to citizens.
- Plans are underway to repatriate them to their home countries with United Nations assistance, though the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has not yet been contacted.
- No clear timeline for onward removal; arrangements remain uncertain.
Background & International Context
This deployment marks an expansion of the Trump-administration tactic of deporting non-citizens to third countries with no prior ties, following similar operations sending migrants to South Sudan, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, and attempts involving Libya.
A U.S. Supreme Court decision in late June allowed this policy to proceed, overturning lower-court restrictions on third-country deportations for individuals with no connection to the destination country .
Yet critics warn the approach may violate non‑refoulment norms—particularly troubling when recipients like Eswatini have questionable human rights records, including documented extrajudicial killings, torture, political repression, and harsh prison conditions.
Why Eswatini?
Details of any U.S.–Eswatini agreement remain classified. Eswatini’s government stated negotiations took months and described its role as transitional, not permanent. Some analysts suspect Washington offered diplomatic or economic incentives to secure cooperation .
Concerns Among Critics
Advocacy groups and international observers decry:
- Secrecy: Detainees are given little notice, challenging their access to due process.
- Human rights: Eswatini's record on political repression and prison conditions raises fears of potential mistreatment .
- Precedent: Critics argue U.S. is exporting its immigrant criminal justice problems to weaker nations, undermining global human rights norms.
What Happens Next?
Eswatini and the U.S. reportedly plan to work with the UN’s IOM to transfer the men back to their homelands, but no dates have been set. Whether Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos will accept them now, or if diplomatic pressure will resume, remains to be seen. This operation follows earlier flights to South Sudan this month and may expand to more African nations.