U.S. Deports Five Convicted Migrants from Asia and Caribbean to Eswatini

Washington, D.C. — The United States has deported five convicted migrants originating from Asian and Caribbean nations to the southern African kingdom of Eswatini, according to a statement issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday.

The deportees, nationals of Cuba, Jamaica, Laos, Vietnam, and Yemen, were all convicted of violent crimes, including child rape and murder. U.S. authorities noted that the individuals were expelled under a controversial policy allowing deportation to third-party countries when their nations of origin decline to accept them.

“These criminal illegal aliens are so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back,” the DHS said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The deportations are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to enforce stricter immigration policies. President Donald Trump, who returned to office in January after campaigning on promises to remove millions of undocumented migrants, has moved to accelerate removals, particularly of individuals convicted of serious offenses.

Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for the administration to proceed with third-country deportations—a strategy that has drawn criticism from human rights groups but is defended by the government as a necessary response when repatriation is not possible.

Earlier in July, eight other convicted migrants were deported to South Sudan, a country currently experiencing ongoing internal conflict. Those deportees included two individuals each from Cuba and Myanmar, and one each from Vietnam, Laos, Mexico, and South Sudan.

Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is Africa’s last remaining absolute monarchy. Governed by King Mswati III since 1986, the country has faced international scrutiny over alleged human rights violations and the monarch’s opulent lifestyle.

The recent deportations highlight Washington’s ongoing reliance on third-party nations to facilitate removals of migrants deemed ineligible for repatriation to their native countries due to diplomatic or security constraints.

By Taiwo Olatinwo/ July 16, 2025