MBABANE, Eswatini (AP) — The southern African kingdom of Eswatini has accepted a fourth group of people deported from the United States under a bilateral agreement to admit third-country nationals. Eleven people will arrive this week, the government said on Thursday.
Acting government spokesman Thabile Mdluli said the group, made up mostly of African countries, would remain in the kingdom temporarily while their rights were protected.
“The Government confirms that during their temporary stay in the Kingdom, the fundamental rights of third-country nationals will be respected and protected in accordance with the laws of the Kingdom of Eswatini and the Kingdom’s international obligations,” Mdluli said in a statement.
Under a series of often secret agreements that are part of a sweeping crackdown on US immigration, US President Donald Trump’s administration has deported thousands of people to nearly two dozen countries that are not theirs, advocates say.
Mdluli said measures had been taken to ensure the safety of Eswatini and its people while the deportees remained in the country.
The latest arrivals will be held at Matsafa maximum security prison, according to officials familiar with the situation.
Eswatini, a country of about 1.2 million people that borders South Africa, began accepting third-country nationals deported from the United States in 2025 under an agreement to take back people who cannot be returned directly to their countries of origin. The latest additions are the fourth group received as part of the deal.
The Trump administration has also sent third-country deportees to the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone and Congo, among other countries on the continent, as it seeks destinations for migrants who cannot be repatriated directly.
Eswatini’s government has not disclosed the terms of its agreement with Washington or released details about the nationality of the deportees, their legal status or how long they are expected to remain in the country.
As part of the Trump administration’s third-country deportation program, Eswatini has accepted several shipments of U.S. deportees, making it one of the most high-profile participants in Africa.
The arrangement has drawn criticism from human rights groups due to its lack of transparency and parliamentary oversight. Civic groups in Eswatini have also taken authorities to court to challenge the legality of holding foreign nationals in prison without charge. Eswatini said the men would be repatriated but could be held there for up to a year.
Human rights lawyer Mzwandile Masuku said the ongoing displacement reflected weak institutional accountability and warned that such practices could become the norm internationally.
To date, only two deportees previously transferred to Eswatini have left the country and returned to Cambodia and Jamaica.
Eswatini’s government defended the agreement, saying it reflected the country’s humanitarian values while respecting its sovereignty and national laws.
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Associated Press reporter Michelle Gumede in Johannesburg, South Africa, contributed.
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AP Africa News:
Nokuhanya Mushi, Associated Press
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