U.S. finalizes deal to send 250 migrants to Rwanda under third-country deportation pact
The United States signed an agreement with Rwanda in June to relocate up to 250 migrants to the East African nation.
Only certain non-citizens who meet specific criteria will be accepted under the deal, and funding for the deportations will be provided by the U.S.
The deal reflects continued U.S. efforts to manage irregular migration through third-country relocation agreements.
According to Reuters, which first reported the arrangement, the deal was signed in Kigali in June and signals deeper cooperation between the two countries on i mmigration enforcement. A Rwandan government spokesperson confirmed the deal, while an official familiar with its implementation revealed that the U.S. had already submitted a list of 10 individuals to be vetted for transfer.
' Rwanda has agreed with the United States to accept up to 250 migrants, in part because nearly every Rwandan family has experienced the hardships of displacement, and our societal values are founded on reintegration and rehabilitation, ' said Yolande Makolo, spokesperson for the Rwandan government.
In recent years, Rwanda has emerged as a key player in Western efforts to offload asylum seekers, a role further confirmed in May when Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe revealed that preliminary talks had begun with the United States to accept deported migrants.
Recall Rwanda also signed a controversial agreement with the United Kingdom in April 2022, which proposed relocating migrants who entered Britain illegally after January 1 of that year.
The deal, however, was officially scrapped in 2024 by newly elected Prime Minister Keir Starmer following a prolonged legal battle that prevented any deportations.
The United states' third country deportation scheme
The United States is increasingly relying on third-country deportations which involves removing migrants not to their home countries but to unfamiliar nations with which they have no personal or legal ties.
Africa has emerged as a central testing ground for this controversial approach, as Washington quietly forges bilateral deals behind closed doors.
The latest agreement with Rwanda reflects a broader strategy, particularly under President Donald Trump's administration, to externalize immigration enforcement by outsourcing deportations to countries willing to host non-citizens expelled from the U.S.
According to Reuters, the U.S. will fund this round of deportations to Rwanda through a grant, though officials declined to disclose the value. The deal permits both governments to expand the number of deportees beyond the initial 250 by mutual agreement.
However, those relocated to Rwanda will not be compelled to remain in the country and may leave at their discretion.
Kigali has also set clear parameters on who will be accepted. Only individuals who have completed their prison terms or have no outstanding criminal cases will be admitted.
There is no arrangement for deportees to serve out U.S. sentences in Rwanda, and the country will not accept child sex offenders.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Mamdani vows to declare war against charter schools if electioned mayor, survey reveals
Socialist Zohran Mamdani plans to declare war on charter schools if he's elected mayor, according to a survey he answered — sparking outrage from advocates and parents who called the frontrunner candidate's views 'very misguided.' The 33-year-old Queens assemblyman said he would fight efforts to open more charters, which largely educate minority, working-class students, and even opposed the schools sharing space in city-owned buildings. 'I oppose efforts by the state to mandate an expansion of charter school operations in New York City,' he said in a Staten Island Advance questionnaire before the June 24 Democratic primary. Advertisement 4 Socialist Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani plans to declare war against charter schools that largely educate minority students if he's elected mayor, according to a survey he answered. REUTERS Mamdani's hostility to charter schools, which are privately-run, publicly funded — puts him in sync with the United Federation of Teachers union, which endorsed him in the November general election following his primary victory over ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo and others. But charter school parents and operators suggested Mamdani was deviating from his affordability agenda — touting he'll choke off classrooms that educate mostly black and Latino students from working class and low-income neighborhoods he claims to be championing. Advertisement 'I don't understand why Mamdani would be hostile to charter schools. I think he's very misinformed,' said mom Arlene Rosado, whose son, Mano, is a tenth-grader at the Nuasin Next Generation K-12 charter school in The Bronx. Rosado transferred her son there because he was getting bullied at the traditional neighborhood public school, and she said he is now safe and not getting picked on. 'Charter schools are helping kids in the community. You should always have a choice. Taking that choice away is not cool,' Rosado told The Post. The Rev. Raymond Rivera — founder of the Family Life Academy charter school network in The Bronx — said that Mamdani must support charter schools if he really cares about kids of color. Advertisement 4 A Staten Island Advance questionnaire has the 33-year-old Queens assemblyman saying, 'I oppose efforts by the state to mandate an expansion of charter school operations in New York City.' Stephen Yang 'Ninety five percent of children in our charter schools are students of color,' he told The Post. 'We believe our parents should have a choice.' Mamdani, in the SI Advance questionnaire, vowed to audit charter schools that are co-located in city Department of Education buildings, suggesting they received too much public funding. 'I also oppose the co-locating of charter schools inside DOE school buildings, but for those already co-located my administration would undertake a comprehensive review of charter school funding to address the unevenness of our system,' the survey said. Advertisement 'Matching funds, overcharged rent, and Foundation Aid funding would be part of this audit as my administration determined how to manage the reality of co-located schools and legal entitlements,' Mamdani claimed. 4 Mamdani's public view on charter schools strikes a similar viewpoint of the United Federation of Teachers union, which has endorsed him for mayor in the upcoming November general election. Stephen Yang It's not the only controversial part of his education platform — which also includes wanting to cede the mayor's control over the nation's largest school system. Charter school advocates said Mamdani was a foe, not an ally, during his four years in the state Assembly. 'As a member of the Assembly, Mr. Mamdani has made clear that he was not supportive of charter schools or even the families that chose them, but he has recently and repeatedly said he would be a mayor for all New Yorkers — and that, of course, has to include the nearly 150,000 charter school students and their families,' said NYC Charter School Center CEO James Merriman. Merriman said he wants to meet Mamdani's team to correct 'misinformation' about the charter school sector. 4 The Democratic nominee's viewpoints on charter schools are a controversial part of his platform, while advocates call out Mamdani for being a foe to the charter school system during his time in the state Assembly. Stephen Yang Arthur Samuels, executive director of the Math, Engineering, and Science Academy (MESA) Charter High School, argued charter schools are serving Mamdani's affordability mission by providing a free education to struggling families who can't afford to pay private tuition or move to the suburbs. Advertisement 'I can't think of anything more empowering to those families than providing choice and agency,' said Samuels, who is opening a second MESA charter school in Dyker Heights this fall. There are 286 charter schools in the city serving about 150,000 students, or 15 of publicly-funded schools. Students in charter schools typically outperform their counterparts in traditional schools on the state's English Language Arts and math standardized exams. Most charters have a longer school day and school year than traditional schools, and their teaching staff are non-union. Advertisement Last year, 58.2% of charter students scored proficient on the ELA test — 9.1 percentage points higher than their district counterparts, 49.1%. Meanwhile, 66.3% of charter students passed the math test, compared to 53.4% of traditional public school students. — a near 13-percentage-point gap. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio sought to stymie the charter school sector. But a state law approved by then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the legislature forced the city to provide space to charter schools or pay their rent to operate in a private building. The current Democratic-run legislature has opposed charter school expansion.
Business Insider
2 hours ago
- Business Insider
France orders tighter visa controls on Algerian diplomats amid deportation row
French President Emmanuel Macron has instructed his government to tighten visa restrictions on Algerian diplomats as tensions escalate over Algeria's refusal to accept the deportation of its nationals from France. French President Emmanuel Macron directed tighter visa restrictions for Algerian diplomats. The move comes in response to Algeria's refusal to accept deported nationals from France. Tensions have worsened due to France recognising Morocco's Western Sahara claim, opposed by Algeria. French President Emmanuel Macron has instructed his government to tighten visa restrictions on Algerian diplomats as tensions escalate over Algeria's refusal to accept the deportation of its nationals from France. Macron cited growing migration and security challenges with Algeria, calling for a firmer stance towards the former French colony, according to a Reuters report. He directed Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot to formally notify Algiers of France's suspension of a 2013 agreement that allowed diplomatic and official passport holders from Algeria to enter France without visas. Macron also asked Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau to coordinate with Schengen zone countries to ensure stricter enforcement, urging them to consult France before issuing short-stay visas to Algerian officials covered under the suspended accord. What Macron said: "France must be strong and command respect. It can only receive this from its partners if it shows them the respect it demands from them. This basic rule also applies to Algeria," Macron said. Diplomatic relations between Paris and Algiers have frayed since July 2024, when France recognised Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara, a disputed territory Algeria staunchly supports in favour of Sahrawi independence.
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
GOP Sen. Tom Cotton questions new Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan over alleged ties to Chinese military
A top Republican senator demanded new Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan reveal if he has any ties to China's Communist Party and military – citing national security concerns. In a letter sent Wednesday to Intel Chairman Frank Leary, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) wrote that he is concerned 'about the security and integrity of Intel's operations and its potential impact on US national security,' according to a copy of the letter obtained by The Post. Tan replaced ousted Intel chief Pat Gelsinger in March — a year after the struggling company was awarded a whopping $8 billion in Biden-era CHIPs Act funding. Advertisement 3 Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan speaking on stage in Taiwan in May. REUTERS Cotton's missive came after a report earlier this year claimed Tan invested at least $200 million across hundreds of Chinese firms between March 2012 and December 2024. Some of these advanced manufacturing and semiconductor firms have been linked to the Chinese Communist Party and military, Reuters reported in April. Advertisement In his letter, Cotton questioned whether the board had required Tan to divest from these stakes before assuming the CEO role. The senator asked whether Tan had disclosed his remaining investments to the US government, since Intel has a responsibility as a major recipient of federal funding. He also demanded to know whether the board was aware of subpoenas targeting Cadence Design – which Tan ran from 2008 to 2021 – before it hired him. 'Intel and Mr. Tan are deeply committed to the national security of the United States and the integrity of our role in the US defense ecosystem,' an Intel spokesperson told The Post. Advertisement Intel added that it will address the matter with Cotton, who asked for responses by Aug. 15. 3 Sen. Tom Cotton sent a letter to Intel's chairman with concerns about Lip-Bu Tan's reported ties to China. 'Intel is required to be a responsible steward of American taxpayer dollars and to comply with applicable security regulations,' Cotton wrote in the letter. 'Mr. Tan's associations raise questions about Intel's ability to fulfill these obligations.' Advertisement In 2024, Intel was awarded $8.5 billion in CHIPs funding under the Secure Enclave program, a national security initiative to make secure microchips for defense and intelligence applications. Later that year, the government slashed that figure by more than $600 million to about $7.85 billion. Intel still ranks as one of the top companies receiving the most federal funding. 3 Intel ranks as one of the top companies receiving the most federal funding. Getty Images A source familiar with the matter told Reuters in April that Tan had divested from his positions in Chinese firms. The outlet reported at the time that Chinese databases still listed many of his investments as current. While it is not illegal for US citizens to hold stakes in Chinese companies, there is a US Treasury list of banned Chinese firms. Reuters reported earlier this year that Tan was not invested directly in any company on that list. Meanwhile, Cadence Design last week agreed to plead guilty and pay more than $140 million to settle charges that it sold its chips to a Chinese military university, according to a Reuters report. Advertisement The institution was believed to be involved in simulating nuclear blasts, according to the report. Those sales took place under Tan's leadership at Cadence. After stepping down as CEO in 2021, Tan stayed on at Cadence as executive chairman through May 2023.
