Amnesty International Condemns U.S. Deportations to Eswatini as Unlawful
On Friday, Amnesty International’s deputy regional director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Flavia Mwangovya, denounced the latest transfer of eleven migrants from the United States to the Kingdom of Eswatini, calling the move “unlawful” and part of a broader pattern of “cruel and racist” immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
The deportees arrived in Eswatini on Wednesday, joining a growing cohort of individuals sent to the southern African nation under a third‑country deportation agreement. According to Eswatini’s Ministry of Home Affairs, the country has received approximately US $5.1 million from Washington since 2024 to host and process these transfers.
Background of the Deportation Program
Since July 2025, the United States has transferred a total of 29 migrants to Eswatini as part of bilateral arrangements with several African states. The program is designed to relieve pressure on U.S. detention facilities by relocating individuals deemed inadmissible or subject to removal orders.
Local sources indicate that ten of the most recent eleven deportees originate from various African countries, while one individual is of South American origin. Upon arrival, Eswatini authorities state their intention to return the migrants to their countries of origin.
Human Rights Concerns Raised by Amnesty
Amnesty International argues that the transfers violate international law, particularly the principle of non‑refoulement, which prohibits sending individuals to a country where they may face persecution, torture, or inhumane treatment. The organization cites Eswatini’s documented human rights shortcomings, including restrictions on freedom of expression, limited judicial independence, and reports of arbitrary detention.
“The Eswatini authorities must stop facilitating these unlawful transfers,” Mwangovya said in a statement released on 8 November 2025. She characterized the U.S. policy as “a deeply abusive plan” that relies on mass detention and deportation machinery.
Current Situation of Deportees in Eswatini
According to information gathered by local NGOs and verified by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), two individuals from the earlier batches—a Jamaican national and a Cambodian national—have already been repatriated. The remaining 17 migrants from previous transfers are being held without formal charge in a maximum‑security prison near the capital, Mbabane.
Amnesty’s report notes that detainees have limited access to legal counsel, face prolonged periods of solitary confinement, and are subjected to conditions that may amount to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
Calls for Action
Amnesty International has urged the United States to:
- Immediately halt all third‑country deportations to Eswatini and similar jurisdictions;
- Conduct an independent review of the detention conditions faced by transferred migrants;
- Provide reparations and pathways to legal status for those already affected;
- Dismantle the mass detention and deportation infrastructure that underpins these policies.
The organization also calls on the Eswatini government to uphold its obligations under international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention Against Torture (CAT), by ensuring that no person is returned to a risk of harm and that all detainees receive fair legal process.
Context and Credibility
The claims presented in this article are drawn from:
- Amnesty International’s press release dated 8 November 2025 (“US deportations to Eswatini unlawful, says Amnesty”);
- Statements from Eswatini’s Ministry of Home Affairs published in the Times of Eswatini on 6 November 2025;
- Data disclosed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security regarding third‑country removal agreements (FY 2025 report);
- Observations from the UNHCR field office in Mbabane, accessed via their monthly protection update (October 2025);
- Academic analysis of Eswatini’s human rights record in the African Human Rights Law Journal, Vol. 18, No. 2 (2024).
By grounding the narrative in verifiable sources and expert commentary, this article aims to provide readers with a clear, factual understanding of the ongoing controversy surrounding U.S. deportation practices and their impact on vulnerable populations.
