Protesters wave American flags and hold signs reading “This Isn’t 1933” and “#Human Not Alien”
On Tuesday, the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) News reported that confidential US government documents reveal Washington negotiated a Uganda deportation deal and one with Honduras to increase the expulsion of migrants to countries where they do not hold citizenship.
However, Ugandan officials strongly denied these reports and stressed that no agreement existed between Kampala and Washington.
The official emphasized that Uganda never committed to hosting deportees from the United States and that the country’s existing resources cannot support such a program. Therefore, this denial directly challenged international media speculation about Uganda’s role in US immigration policy.
Minister Disputes Claims
Moreover, the Minister told reporters, “Based on what I know, we have not agreed to such terms.” He also explained, “Uganda is not equipped to receive foreign deportees from the United States.”
With these remarks, the Minister categorically rejected the possibility of a Uganda deportation deal and underlined the strain such an arrangement would place on the nation’s already limited infrastructure.
In fact, Uganda currently struggles with managing refugees from regional conflicts, and officials argued that taking on foreign deportees from the United States would create an unsustainable burden. Consequently, the firm denial highlighted the government’s unwillingness to assume responsibilities that exceed its capacity.
US Deportation Policy
In addition, the Trump administration targeted millions of immigrants for deportation and claimed that they entered the United States unlawfully.
The administration actively sought to expand deportations to third nations, a policy shift that fueled speculation about a Uganda deportation deal.
By pursuing this strategy, Washington aimed to reduce the backlog of asylum cases inside the US and redirect migrants to countries deemed capable of reviewing their claims.
Furthermore, observers noted that this approach marked a significant departure from traditional US asylum practices.
Regional and Human Rights Considerations
Furthermore, the CBS report stated that US immigration law permits the government to send asylum seekers to third countries such as Uganda and Honduras when it deems those countries capable of fairly assessing their claims.
Despite this legal provision, Ugandan authorities consistently denied any involvement in a Uganda deportation deal.
Currently, only South Sudan, Rwanda, and Eswatini have agreed to receive migrants deported from the United States.
As a result, in the previous month, the United States sent 13 deportees, described as dangerous criminals and unlawfully present to South Sudan and Eswatini
Human rights activists condemned these deportations and warned about the risks migrants face when relocated to unstable or unsafe environments.
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