Rwanda has confirmed it will accept up to 250 migrants deported from the United States as part of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign. Yolande Makolo, a spokesperson for the Rwandan government, said the country has agreed to receive the migrants because nearly every Rwandan family has experienced the hardships of displacement, and the country’s societal values are founded on reintegration and rehabilitation.
The agreement has raised concerns about human rights, particularly given Rwanda’s own human rights record. Critics have blasted Trump for using African countries as a “dumping ground” for migrants with criminal records. Makolo, however, emphasized that Rwanda would have the final say over who could arrive in the country. “Under the agreement, Rwanda has the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement,” she said. “Those approved will be provided with workforce training, healthcare, and accommodation support to jumpstart their lives in Rwanda, giving them the opportunity to contribute to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world over the last decade.”
Trump has made expelling migrants from the US a top priority, prompting legal challenges and backlash to the rapid pace of such deportations. Critics say deported migrants have been denied their right to due process, with little to no time allotted to challenge their removals. The Trump administration has surged money to immigration-related projects, including $45 billion for immigration detention centers and $4.1 billion for hiring and training more officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The Trump administration has also begun deporting migrants to countries in Africa, including South Sudan and Eswatini. The US Supreme Court paved the way for the deportation of eight men to South Sudan, despite concerns about their safety. Lawyers for the men have argued that they were denied access to their clients, who are being held in a maximum-security prison.
The agreement with Rwanda comes as the country seeks to strengthen its relationship with the Trump administration. In June, President Trump claimed credit for brokering a peace deal between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Critics, however, noted that the deal was vague and did not mention Rwanda’s support for the M23 paramilitary group, which has carried out deadly attacks in the DRC.
Gonzaga Muganwa, a Rwandan political analyst, said the agreement to accept migrants from the US will strengthen the two countries’ shared bond. “This agreement enhances Rwanda’s strategic interest of having good relationships with the Trump administration,” he said.
