KAMPALA, Uganda — Uganda has agreed to take in an unspecified number of African and Asian migrants deported from the United States, according to documents obtained by CBS, the BBC’s U.S. partner.
The move is part of a wider effort by the Donald Trump administration to deport migrants to countries that are not their homelands, a policy that has been condemned by human rights groups. The migrants had previously sought asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Under the agreement, Uganda will accept deported individuals as long as they do not have criminal records. The exact number of migrants the country will receive remains unclear.
Human rights campaigners have voiced strong opposition, warning that the deported individuals could face harm in a third country. This development follows a similar announcement from Rwanda, another East African nation, which said it would accept up to 250 migrants from the U.S.
The U.S. State Department has also signed a “safe third country” agreement with Paraguay to manage immigration burdens. The Trump administration has also approached other nations, including Ecuador and Spain, about similar arrangements.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June to allow the Trump administration to resume deportations of migrants to third countries without giving them the chance to raise potential risks they might face. The ruling was met with a strong dissent from three justices, who called the decision “a gross abuse.” U.N. rights experts and human rights groups have argued that such removals may violate international law.
