The first group of 12 deportees from the United States has arrived in Uganda, marking a new phase in the migration policy drive under former US President Donald Trump, which involves relocating migrants to third countries.
Ugandan authorities confirmed that the deportees touched down at Entebbe International Airport. The individuals, drawn from six African countries, Mauritania, Angola, Ethiopia, Mali, Togo and Guinea, were classified as asylum seekers.
Speaking to local media, Simon Mundeyi, spokesperson for Uganda’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, stated that the group would remain in the country temporarily as part of a “transition phase,” pending possible relocation to other destinations.
The development follows an agreement reached in August last year between Uganda and the United States, under which Kampala consented to receive third-country nationals who either do not qualify for asylum in the US or are unable or unwilling to return to their countries of origin. Authorities noted that priority would be given to migrants from African nations.
However, the arrangement has continued to draw criticism both within Uganda and internationally, with concerns raised over its transparency and humanitarian consequences.
The Uganda Law Society strongly condemned the process, describing it as “undignified, harrowing and dehumanising.”
Uganda, already one of Africa’s largest refugee-hosting nations, now joins countries such as Eswatini, Rwanda and South Sudan in accepting deportees from the United States, a move that continues to stir debate over migration governance and human rights protections.
