Rwanda agrees to accept more US-deported migrants

The United States and Rwanda have reached an agreement for Rwanda to accept up to 250 migrants deported from the U.S., officials said.

The deal, signed in Kigali in June, allows Rwanda to vet each migrant before approval for resettlement, a Rwandan government spokesperson told Reuters.

“Nearly every Rwandan family has experienced displacement hardships, and our values are based on reintegration and rehabilitation,” said Yolande Makolo, the spokesperson.

Approved migrants will receive workforce training, healthcare, and accommodation support to rebuild their lives in Rwanda’s rapidly growing economy.

Washington has already sent a preliminary list of 10 migrants for Rwandan approval, according to an anonymous Rwandan official.

The Trump administration is escalating efforts to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, seeking third countries willing to accept removals.

Rwanda has positioned itself as a destination for deportees, despite criticism from rights groups concerned about human rights protections there.

In recent months, Washington also deported convicted Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador, stirring controversy over the safety of third-country removals.

Opponents warn these deportations can be dangerous, placing people in unfamiliar countries where they face violence and isolation.

The Supreme Court recently upheld the Trump administration’s right to deport migrants to third countries without hearings on potential harm.

However, this policy faces legal challenges in federal courts, with outcomes potentially returning to the conservative-leaning Supreme Court.

Rwanda previously agreed to take asylum seekers from Britain in 2022, but the plan was scrapped due to legal hurdles and political shifts.

The evolving U.S.-Rwanda deal marks a new chapter in immigration enforcement amid intense debate over humanitarian and security concerns.