The government of Eswatini has confirmed that five undocumented migrants deported from the United States and currently held in local correctional facilities will be repatriated to their countries of origin.

The government of Eswatini has confirmed that five undocumented migrants deported from the United States and currently held in local correctional facilities will be repatriated to their countries of origin.

The individuals—originally from Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos—arrived in Eswatini on Wednesday aboard a flight arranged by U.S. immigration authorities. According to the Eswatini government, the five men were deported from the U.S. after being convicted of serious crimes including murder, child rape, aggravated assault, and drug trafficking. They are currently being held in solitary confinement at undisclosed locations in Eswatini.

The government stated that their arrival followed a bilateral arrangement between the Kingdom of Eswatini and the United States, though the specific details of the deal have not been made public. In a statement shared through its official X (formerly Twitter) account, the Eswatini government confirmed that the deportees were placed in isolated units inside the country’s correctional facilities “where similar offenders are kept.”

Acting Government Spokesperson Thabile Mdluli told local media that the deportees pose no security threat to Eswatini or its citizens. She explained that they were being held temporarily as the government coordinates with international partners to send them to their respective home countries.

“Arrangements are underway to ensure that the individuals are returned to their countries of origin in a timely and secure manner,” Mdluli said. “Eswatini is working closely with the government of the United States and other relevant international bodies to facilitate this process.”

She noted that the Eswatini government had taken into account concerns raised by members of the public regarding national security, and assured citizens that all necessary precautions had been taken to limit interaction between the deportees and the general prison population.

“Government has acknowledged the security concerns of EmaSwati, further confirming that the five prisoners are housed in isolated correctional facilities to ensure safety and compliance with international standards,” she said.

While Mdluli did not provide an exact timeline for when the deportees would be sent to their home countries, she emphasized that the country is committed to upholding international legal protocols, including human rights obligations and diplomatic procedures.

“As a responsible member of the global community, the Kingdom of Eswatini adheres to international agreements and diplomatic protocols regarding the repatriation of individuals, ensuring that due process and respect for human rights is followed,” she said.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security also confirmed the deportations. In a separate statement posted on social media, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said the deportees had been removed under new U.S. enforcement guidelines after their home countries reportedly refused to accept them.

“A safe third country deportation flight to Eswatini in Southern Africa has landed. This flight took individuals so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back,” McLaughlin posted on X. She further described the deported men as “depraved monsters” and claimed they had been “terrorising American communities.”

She credited former President Donald Trump and other U.S. officials for facilitating the deportations as part of broader efforts to strengthen border enforcement and reduce the population of undocumented migrants in the United States.

The deportation to Eswatini follows a similar case earlier this month in which eight individuals were deported from the United States to South Sudan. All eight had also been convicted of serious crimes in the U.S. and were removed amid a growing crackdown on undocumented immigrants and foreign nationals with criminal records.

Several U.S. media outlets have reported that other African countries, including Rwanda, Benin, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea, may soon receive deportees under similar arrangements. Officials from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), however, have said they were not yet involved in the Eswatini case and had not been contacted about assisting with any repatriation process.

Human rights groups have expressed concern over the legality and ethics of deporting migrants to third countries with which they have no citizenship or legal ties. Some have accused the U.S. of bypassing international safeguards and offloading difficult deportation cases to countries with weaker legal systems or limited capacity to monitor such individuals.

Legal experts have also pointed to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June 2025 that allowed deportations to third countries to proceed under certain conditions. According to the new legal framework, U.S. immigration officials can transfer non-citizens to other countries that are deemed safe, even without the deportees’ consent, if their home countries refuse to accept them.

In Eswatini, the news has sparked limited but growing public debate, especially in light of the country’s own challenges with prison overcrowding, political repression, and limited judicial oversight. Civil society groups have called for transparency around the agreement signed between the U.S. and the Eswatini government, questioning whether the kingdom received compensation or aid in exchange for accepting the deportees.

Officials in Eswatini have so far declined to disclose whether the deal involved financial or diplomatic incentives. “We cannot discuss the details of the agreement at this stage,” Mdluli said. “But what we can say is that it was conducted in line with the laws of the Kingdom and with the interests of EmaSwati at heart.”

The presence of the deportees in Eswatini correctional facilities remains temporary, according to government sources. If their countries of origin continue to reject their return, it is unclear whether Eswatini will continue to detain them, attempt to negotiate further, or release them into the country—a move that would likely provoke significant controversy.

The story continues to develop, with close attention now turning to how Eswatini manages the next phase of the deportees’ status and whether similar deportations will follow. The international community, including migration observers and legal watchdogs, is expected to monitor the situation closely.