Mbabane (Eswatini) (AFP) – Two more migrants deported from the United States arrived in Eswatini on Thursday, the southern African kingdom said. The men, from Latin America, are among 32 deportees accepted by Eswatini since July last year under a $5 million agreement with Washington. Sources told AFP that the pair were collected from King Mswati III International Airport at around 4pm (1400 GMT) and would be processed on Friday.
“The two US deportees looked startled and kept asking which country is this and where it is,” said a source. Eswatini is one of several African countries that have agreed to accept migrants deported under US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. It confirmed last year that it had received about $5.1 million from the United States to accept 160 deportees. The funds were intended to strengthen the country’s border and migration management capacity.
Eswatini says the deportees are only in the country temporarily, as it expects them to be returned to their countries of origin. Several deportees have already returned to their home countries after requesting voluntary repatriation to reunite with their families, the government previously said.
Africa’s last absolute monarchy, Eswatini — formerly called Swaziland — is regularly criticised for its poor human rights record.
© 2024 AFP
