US Deports Five Violent Criminals to Eswatini Amid Controversial ‘Safe Third Country’ Policy Expansion
Written By Okafor Joseph July 17,20025
United States Deports Convicted Foreign Criminals to Eswatini Under Expanding Safe Third Country Strategy
The United States government has deported five convicted foreign criminals to the Kingdom of Eswatini, sparking fresh debate over Washington’s controversial “safe third country” deportation policy.
According to a statement by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the individuals—originally from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba, and Yemen—were all convicted of violent offenses, including murder and child sexual abuse. Their deportation follows a refusal by their respective home countries to receive them.
“A safe third country deportation flight to Eswatini in Southern Africa has landed,” confirmed DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a post on X (formerly Twitter). She referred to the deportees as “depraved monsters” who had been “terrorising American communities.”
This action is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to toughen immigration enforcement, particularly for individuals with serious criminal convictions. Under this revived approach, the U.S. is increasingly turning to third-party nations willing to accept deportees who are barred from returning to their countries of origin.
Earlier this month, the U.S. deported eight similarly convicted individuals to South Sudan under the same policy framework.
McLaughlin hailed the latest deportation as a significant achievement in strengthening American public safety. “Thanks to President Trump and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, these dangerous criminals are no longer a threat to American families,” she said.
Eswatini, a small Southern African nation bordered by South Africa and Mozambique, has not officially responded to the deportation. However, reports suggest the country has been in discreet talks with U.S. officials to serve as a “safe third country” for certain high-risk deportees.
The policy has drawn criticism from human rights advocates, who question the legality and ethics of sending individuals to third-party countries that may not be prepared to handle such cases.
Eswatini remains Africa’s last absolute monarchy and has a limited track record in dealing with high-profile international deportation cases. Nonetheless, the latest move underscores the U.S. government’s commitment to enforcing its immigration and deportation laws more aggressively.
