US Deportations to African Nations Violate International Law, HRW Says
In a report released on 8 October 2026, Human Rights Watch (HRW) slammed a 2025‑era Trump administration policy that has forced more than 500 non‑citizen migrants out of the United States toward African third‑country destinations.
According to HRW, many of those deported have no practical choice but to return to their home countries – often facing persecution, torture or forced repatriation. The group says the United States has violated the international non‑refoulement principle, which bans sending people to states where they risk serious harm.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defended the practice as a “public‑safety tool” that removes criminals, but critics argue the wording is a euphemism masking deliberate cruelty. “The point is to scare people,” HRW warned.
Countries such as Eswatini, Ghana, South Sudan, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and the Democratic Republic of Congo have all received deportees. Several reports detailed arbitrary detention, chained flights, denial of sufficient food and water, and lack of knowledge about destination.
One case highlighted 11 Bulgarian‑born Americans – all women in same‑sex relationships – sent to Ghana and later secretly transferred to Togo. HRW said that the individuals were denied basic medical care and were dragged through a maze of undocumented agreements.
The U.N. Council Human Rights Office, following the HRW findings, called for an immediate review of the U.S. “third‑country” policy and urged Washington to honour both the 1951 Refugee Convention and the principle of non‑refoulement.
The U.S. White House, on its part, said home‑nation requests and court orders that place individuals under state custody were key determinants for a deportee’s trajectory. Yet international observers note that several of these third‑country destinations have limited capacity to guarantee safety and fair treatment.
HRW concludes that the policy violates human‑rights law and undermines global migration governance. A move to halt the practice would demonstrate Washington’s commitment to the refugee framework and the rule of law.
