The United States has signed a bilateral deportation agreement with Uganda as part of its intensified efforts to crack down on illegal immigration, according to documents obtained by CBS, the US partner of the BBC.
Under the agreement, Uganda has agreed to accept African and Asian migrants who had claimed asylum at the US-Mexico border, as long as they do not have criminal records. However, it remains unclear how many migrants Uganda will ultimately take.
The arrangement with Uganda comes alongside a similar agreement with Honduras. Honduras has agreed to receive several hundred deported migrants from Spanish-speaking countries over a period of two years, including families traveling with children.
Documents suggest that the Honduran government could also decide to accept more migrants depending on circumstances. Both deals are part of the Trump administration’s broader push to persuade countries to accept deported migrants who are not their own citizens.
The agreements have drawn criticism from human rights campaigners, who warn that migrants face the risk of being sent to countries where they could be harmed. UN rights experts have also expressed concern, arguing that deporting migrants to nations other than their own could violate international law.
These deportation deals are part of a global effort by the Trump administration to share the burden of managing illegal immigration. In addition to Uganda and Honduras, at least a dozen countries have agreed to take in deported migrants from other nations.
Recently, the US State Department announced a “safe third country” agreement with Paraguay. Under this deal, the countries will work together to manage the arrival of migrants and share responsibility for resettlement.
African nations have also been approached to participate in similar arrangements. Rwanda, for example, has agreed to take up to 250 migrants from the United States.
A government spokesperson in Rwanda stated that the country would have the authority to approve each individual proposed for resettlement.
However, Rwanda has faced criticism over its human rights record, with observers warning that deported migrants could face risks, including the possibility of being sent onward to other countries where their safety may not be guaranteed.
Earlier this year, Panama and Costa Rica agreed to accept several hundred African and Asian migrants from the United States. Government documents show that the Trump administration has also approached other nations, including Ecuador and Spain, to receive deported migrants.
These efforts reflect a broader strategy to expand deportation arrangements across multiple continents, including with countries that have faced scrutiny for human rights concerns.
The push to increase deportations forms a key part of President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda. Removing undocumented migrants was a central promise of his election campaign and remains a priority for the administration.
In June, the US Supreme Court cleared the way for the resumption of deportations to countries other than migrants’ homelands, ruling that individuals need not be given the chance to raise the risks they might face. Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, calling the decision “a gross abuse.”
As the Trump administration moves forward with these bilateral agreements, countries like Uganda and Honduras will play a key role in determining how these deportations are implemented.
While the exact numbers of migrants involved remain uncertain, the agreements signal a significant shift in US immigration policy, extending the responsibility for managing irregular migration to foreign governments while raising questions about human rights and international obligations.
