Tuesday May 6, 2025
FILE - Several charities and human rights groups have previously criticized the plan to deport UK asylum seekers to Rwanda [File: Henry Nicholls/Reuters]
Nairobi (HOL) — Rwanda’s foreign minister confirmed that Kigali is in preliminary discussions with the United States over a potential agreement to receive migrants deported from American soil, as President Donald Trump accelerates his administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
“It is true that we are in discussions with the United States,” Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said during an interview with state broadcaster Rwanda TV on Sunday night. “These talks are still ongoing, and it would be premature to conclude how they will unfold.”
While the specific terms of the arrangement remain unclear, U.S. officials cited by CBS News said discussions have included the possibility of Rwanda accepting deportees from third countries—non-Rwandan nationals—who have completed sentences or were denied legal status in the U.S. Talks may also involve financial compensation and integration stipends to deter re-entry attempts.
The move follows the Trump administration’s broader effort to negotiate similar deals with countries like El Salvador and Panama as part of its promise to carry out what it calls “the largest deportation operation” in U.S. history. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently told a Cabinet meeting: “We are working with other countries to say, ‘We want to send you some of the most despicable human beings.’ The farther from America, the better.”
In March, the U.S. deported an Iraqi refugee to Rwanda, a transfer that may have served as a prototype for this potential agreement. The deportee, Omar Abdulsattar Ameen, had previously faced extradition attempts tied to alleged links with the Islamic State group.
Rwanda has experience accepting deportees under controversial agreements. In 2022, it struck a £290 million deal with the United Kingdom to take in asylum seekers, but the program was ultimately declared unlawful by the British Supreme Court. The new Labour government led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer scrapped the deal in 2024, calling it a “gimmick.” Rwanda is still demanding £50 million in unpaid compensation over the cancellation.
Critics, including the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), have repeatedly warned that Rwanda’s human rights record makes it an unsafe destination for vulnerable asylum seekers. The agency has raised concerns that deportees could face forced returns to countries they fled from. Rwanda has denied those allegations and accused the UN of misinformation.
The talks come as Washington also attempts to mediate a tense regional standoff between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, raising questions about whether migration diplomacy could be used as leverage in broader geopolitical negotiations.
Both Kigali and Washington have declined to comment on whether a final deal is imminent.