KAMPALA, Uganda — The Trump administration has unleashed a “vicious” new immigration crackdown, labeling three convicted Ugandan nationals the “Worst of the Worst” as part of a looming mass deportation of more than 10,000 foreign nationals, sources revealed this week.
The three Ugandans, all convicted of violent crimes and major felonies in the United States, were identified on a public database released Wednesday by the US Department of Homeland Security, or DHS.
The deportees are Mukiibi Kiwana, convicted of aggravated assault in California; Adrian Kawuba, convicted of cyber fraud in Pennsylvania; and Winner Mangeni, convicted in Massachusetts of assault, confinement and flight to avoid prosecution.
Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Vincent Bagiire Waiswa confirmed Thursday that the Ugandan Embassy in Washington had received notification about the pending removal of the three citizens.
But the deportations have opened a legal abyss: Officials remain uncertain if these convicted criminals will walk free or be immediately jailed upon their arrival in Uganda to complete their US sentences.
“Convicts often continue serving their sentences after deportation, especially through international prisoner transfer agreements,” Bagiire admitted. “But it depends heavily on treaties between the US and Uganda.”
Uganda Prisons spokesperson Frank Baine added to the confusion, noting that sentence transfer is not automatic, even if agreements exist.
Africa Caught in the Dragnet
This mass removal effort has ensnared nationals across East Africa, dramatically widening the scope of the administration’s immigration war, which began after a November shooting where an Afghan national was accused of attacking two US soldiers.
The deportation list is a shocking roster of African nationals: 15 Kenyans, 12 Congolese, 5 Burundians, 4 South Sudanese, 2 Tanzanians and 1 Rwandan are slated for deportation alongside the three Ugandans. Twelve Somalis are also on the list.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem publicly confirmed the massive sweep, declaring the move a fulfillment of President Trump’s most aggressive promises.
“This serves as a strong warning to criminal illegal aliens to not come to America,” Noem thundered. “If they do, they will be hunted down and deported.”
The campaign intensified earlier this year when Noem announced a multi-million-dollar international effort warning illegal aliens to leave or face deportation with no possibility of return.
Adding another layer to the crisis, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services halted all asylum decisions in November. Director Joseph Edlow said the pause would remain “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.”
