Trump strikes deportation deals with Uganda, Honduras
The United States has signed bilateral agreements with Uganda and Honduras to receive deported migrants as part of President Donald Trump’s intensified crackdown on illegal immigration, according to documents obtained by CBS and reviewed by the BBC.
Under the agreements, Uganda has pledged to accept an unspecified number of African and Asian migrants who had sought asylum at the US-Mexico border.
These individuals will be accepted provided they do not have criminal records, although the total number Uganda is expected to receive remains unclear.
Honduras, meanwhile, has committed to taking in several hundred deportees from Spanish-speaking countries over a two-year period, including families with children. The documents suggest Honduras may consider accepting more at a later stage.
The deals form part of the Trump administration’s broader strategy to secure deportation arrangements with countries across multiple continents, including those with controversial human rights records. At least a dozen countries have signed similar agreements, according to US government documents.
Human rights organisations have sharply criticised the policy, warning that migrants risk being sent to nations where they could face persecution, abuse or onward deportation to unsafe environments. UN experts have cautioned that the practice could breach international law, which prohibits the transfer of individuals to countries where they may face harm.
“This amounts to outsourcing US asylum responsibilities to nations that may not be equipped to provide protection,” one rights advocate told international media, describing the policy as “a dangerous precedent that undermines refugee protections globally.”
Last week, the US State Department announced it had signed a separate “safe third country” agreement with Paraguay to share the burden of managing illegal immigration. Earlier this month, Rwanda confirmed it would take up to 250 migrants under a deal that allows Kigali to approve each individual case before resettlement. Critics have raised concerns about Rwanda’s human rights record and the possibility of onward deportations.
Similar arrangements have already been made with Panama and Costa Rica, both of which agreed to host several hundred African and Asian migrants from the United States. CBS also reported that the Trump administration has approached Ecuador and Spain with proposals for similar agreements.
The push for deportation deals intensified after the US Supreme Court in June cleared the way for deportations to countries other than migrants’ homelands, without allowing them to challenge potential risks. The ruling, backed by a conservative majority, drew sharp dissent from Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, who described it as “a gross abuse” of judicial authority.
Since beginning his second term, President Trump has placed immigration enforcement at the core of his agenda, arguing it fulfils a central campaign promise that resonates with his political base.
However, rights groups warn that the latest agreements could expose thousands of vulnerable migrants to severe risks while straining relations with partner countries.
