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[INTERNATIONAL] · United States, Eswatini, Laos · 7 sources

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Part of situation: Eswatini repatriation of US-transferred nationals (2 clusters)

Laotian citizen released from Eswatini prison after U.S. deportation

third-country deportation program immigration crackdown Eswatini prison Laotian citizen deportation

Phone Chomsavanh, a Laotian citizen, has been released from a maximum-security prison in Eswatini after being held for more than 14 months. Chomsavanh was one of five immigrants deported to Eswatini by the United States under the Trump administration’s third-country deportation program in July 2025.

According to his lawyer, Tin Thanh Nguyen, Chomsavanh had already completed his criminal sentences in the United States before being flown to Eswatini, a country where he had no ties. He was held at the Matsapha Correctional Complex without being charged with a crime in Eswatini.

Chomsavanh is currently being deported to Laos via Johannesburg. Human Rights First reports that approximately 500 immigrants have been deported from the United States to African nations that are not their home countries since the implementation of this program last year.

Entities

Eswatini · Human Rights First · Matsapha Correctional Complex · Phone Chomsavanh · Tin Thanh Nguyen

Sources

Lao Man Deported by the US to Eswatini Is Released After More Than a Year in Prison - American Renaissance [www.amren.com]
Lao man deported by US to Eswatini is released after more than year in prison [www.dtnext.in]
Lao man deported by US to Eswatini is released after more than year in prison [www.news18.com]
An immigrant deported by the US and held in an African prison for more than a year has been released [www.newsday.com]
An immigrant deported by the U. S. and held in an African prison for more than a year has been released [triblive.com]
Lao man deported by the US to Eswatini is released after more than a year in prison [www.troyrecord.com]
An immigrant deported by the US and held in an African prison for more than a year has been released [wtop.com]