US Administration Plans to Deport Kilmar Ábrego García to Eswatini Amid Controversy

Sat Sep 13 2025 14:38:52 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The US government is moving forward with plans to deport Kilmar Ábrego García, an undocumented immigrant, to Eswatini. This controversial decision follows a change from an earlier plan to send him to Uganda due to fears of persecution.

Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadoran man, is set to be deported to Eswatini as part of a controversial US immigration policy shift. Initially intended for Uganda, US officials made this decision after Mr. García raised concerns about potential persecution. The case raises questions about the legality and ethics of deporting immigrants to countries with which they have no connection.

The Trump administration has revealed a plan to deport Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadoran man who has been at the center of an immigration row, to the southern African kingdom of Eswatini.

In an email to his lawyers obtained by the BBC's US partner CBS, an immigration officer said they were changing last month's decision to send him to Uganda. The officer stated the change was made after Mr. Ábrego García raised fears of persecution in Uganda, noting that while the claims were 'hard to take seriously,' US authorities would 'nonetheless' agree to this new course of action.

Mr. Ábrego García was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March and subsequently returned to the US to face criminal charges, which he has denied. US officials acknowledged the earlier error in his removal.

The deportation case highlights the Trump administration's firm stance on immigration and has sparked significant controversy, as Mr. Ábrego García has no known ties to Eswatini, which is the fourth country considered as a potential deportation destination for him.

Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is one of the last remaining absolute monarchies in the world, led by King Mswati III since 1986. US officials have previously deported five individuals to Eswatini, describing them as 'criminal illegal aliens,' raising concerns in the nation about becoming a dumping ground for foreign criminals.

Furthermore, Eswatini has not confirmed whether it receives financial remuneration for this deportation deal. The US is an important market for Eswatini's biggest export, sugar, leading analysts to suggest that the country may be attempting to maintain beneficial trade relations to avoid tariffs.

Overall, this case reflects ongoing debates about immigration policy and its implications for human rights and international relations.