United States commits $410 million to third-country deportation agreements

The United States government has committed at least $410 million to facilitate the deportation of migrants to third countries through agreements with various governments in Africa and Latin America. Internal State Department documents indicate these commitments span 31 countries and extend through June 2026. The funding includes $81 million in direct payments to 13 governments, $179 million promised to the International Organization for Migration, and $124 million to the UN Refugee Agency for refugee-related projects and infrastructure.

Specific agreements include $5.1 million to Eswatini to accept up to 150 people and $7.5 million to Equatorial Guinea to receive up to 250 citizens from other nations. These transfers have included migrants from Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, and Jamaica being sent to countries where they have no prior ties.

A group of independent United Nations experts has warned that these practices are “triggering a cascade of human rights violations.” The experts stated that such agreements increase risks of torture, ill-treatment, and forced disappearances, while violating the principle of non-refoulement. They noted that migrants are being moved to territories with which they have no connection, potentially exposing them to further violence or discrimination based on gender, sexual orientation, or human rights activism.