Eswatini repatriates two migrants deported from US

Two migrants deported from the United States to Eswatini have returned to their home countries, the southern African kingdom said Tuesday.

The men — from Mauritania and the Democratic Republic of Congo — were among the 30 deportees accepted by Eswatini since July last year under a $5-million agreement with Washington.

Voluntary repatriation to ‘reunite with family’

The Mauritanian national, who arrived in July, requested voluntary repatriation so he could reunite with his family, acting government spokeswoman Thabile Mdluli said in a statement.

The man left Eswatini on Saturday.

The DRC national, who arrived in March, returned home on Sunday, Mdluli said.

Several other deportees have also requested voluntary repatriation to “reunite with their families”, the government said, adding that it was working with relevant authorities to facilitate the requests.

“These repatriations form part of the ongoing arrangements concerning Third Country Nationals temporarily residing in the Kingdom,” the government said.

Trump’s immigration crackdown

Eswatini is one of several African countries that have agreed to deals to accept migrants deported under US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

It confirmed last year it had received around $5.1 million from the United States to accept 160 deportees.

The funds were meant to strengthen its border and migration management capacity.

Two other men deported to the kingdom, a Jamaican and a Cambodian, were previously repatriated.

Several others are in a high-security prison, where they are being held without charge.

Eswatini says the deportees are only in the country temporarily, as it expects them to be returned to their countries of origin.

Africa’s last absolute monarchy, Eswatini is regularly criticised for a poor human rights record.