The United States has struck bilateral deportation agreements with Honduras and Uganda as part of its ongoing efforts to manage illegal immigration, according to documents obtained by CBS. Under the terms of these deals, Uganda has consented to welcome an unspecified number of deported migrants from Africa and Asia who sought asylum at the US-Mexico border, while Honduras will accept several hundred migrants from Spanish-speaking nations.
This initiative is part of the Trump administration's broader strategy to compel more countries to accept deportees who are not their citizens, following a trend that started with multiple nations agreeing to similar arrangements. Critics have condemned these policies, emphasizing the potential danger for migrants returned to countries where they may face persecution or violence.
Under Uganda’s agreement, the accepted migrants must not have any criminal records, but the exact number of individuals that the country will receive remains unclear. Conversely, Honduras has committed to receiving migrants over a two-year period, with the flexibility to adjust the numbers based on its capacity. This is tied to a larger movement aimed at enabling deportations to countries with varying human rights records.
Recently, the US State Department also signed a "safe third country" agreement with Paraguay to assist in managing illegal immigration. Rwanda has announced its plan to accept up to 250 migrants, although it retains the right to evaluate each individual seeking resettlement. This move has drawn scrutiny due to Rwanda's controversial human rights history.
Amid a growing list of countries, including Panama and Costa Rica, that have agreed to take in migrants, Trump has significantly ramped up his efforts to deport undocumented individuals as he seeks to fulfill a critical campaign promise. The recent Supreme Court ruling permits the administration to deport migrants to third countries without allowing them to argue against potential risks, igniting concern from dissenting justices and various human rights advocates over the legality and morality of such actions.
As these deportations continue, the international community watches closely, weighing the implications for both the migrants involved and the countries accepting them.
