The United States, U.S. deportations to Africa have officially begun after convicted criminals were deported to a small landlocked African country, Eswatini.
The development was confirmed in a press release issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said the deportation was conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.
In the press release, McLaughlin labelled the deported five individuals as “depraved monsters”.
She also revealed that the deportees have been convicted of heinous crimes including sexual assault and murder.
“A safe third country deportation flight to Eswatini in Southern Africa has landed — This flight took individuals so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back,” McLaughlin said.
In a thread on X, McLaughlin identified five of the deported persons, whom she referred to as “depraved monsters,” to be from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba, and Yemen.
McLaughlin also explained that the recent U.S. deportations to Africa align with a policy allowing relocation to third countries, reinstated by a Supreme Court decision in June.
The policy, which was floated under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, allows for deportations of illegal migrants to nations other than the person’s home of origin.
Also, a leaked document dated July 9 from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s acting director, Todd Lyons, revealed that the agency has been directed to wait at least 24 hours to deport someone after advising them of their departure to a so-called “third country.”
ICE may, however, deport someone to a so-called “third country” with as little as six hours’ notice “in exigent circumstances,” the memo said, as long as the person was provided the chance to speak with an attorney.
