Latest news with #criminalillegalaliens
France 24
3 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Questions swell in Eswatini over five men deported from US
The five, nationals of Vietnam, Laos, Yemen, Cuba and Jamaica, were flown to Eswatini's administrative capital of Mbabane on July 16 on a US military plane and incarcerated after US authorities labelled them "criminal illegal aliens". The US Department of Homeland Security said the men were convicted of violent crimes "so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back". The government of Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, has confirmed their presence. But spokesman Thabile Mdluli said they would not stay permanently, and "will be repatriated in due course to their different countries". That assurance, though, has not quelled a tide of questions and concerns that has risen within the kingdom about the operation. Civic and rights groups are wondering whether further deportees from the United States will arrive, and what rights the five men detained have. Public outrage at the lack of transparency led to 150 women protesting outside the US embassy in Mbabane on Friday. The protest, organised by the Eswatini Women's Movement, demanded the prisoners be returned to the United States and queried the legal basis Eswatini relied on to accept them. The five men are being held in the Matsapha Correctional Centre, 30 kilometres (20 miles) south of Mbabane. The facility, notorious for holding political prisoners and overcrowding, has been undergoing renovations and expansions since 2018, reportedly funded by the United States as part of a program covering all 14 of the country's penal centres. Solitary confinement Sources within the penitentiary administration said the men were being held in solitary confinement in a high-security section of the facility, with their requests to make phone calls being denied. The sources said the men have access to medical care and the same meals as the thousand other inmates, as well as a toilet, shower and television in their cells. Prime Minister Russell Dlamini has dismissed calls by lawmakers and from other quarters for the secrecy surrounding the agreement with Washington to be lifted. "Not every decision or agreement is supposed to be publicly shared," he said. Eswatini is the second African country to receive such deportees from the United States, after South Sudan earlier this month accepted eight individuals. The situation has sparked concerns about the potential implications for Eswatini, a country already grappling with its own challenges under the absolute monarchy of King Mswati III. The 57-year-old ruler has been criticised for his lavish lifestyle and has faced accusations of human rights violations. US President Donald Trump has used the threat of high tariffs against other countries, such as Colombia, to coerce them to take in people deported from America. Eswatini is currently facing a baseline US tariff of 10 percent -- less than the 30 percent levelled at neighbouring South Africa -- which the government has said will negatively impact the economy. Trump has directed federal agencies to work hard on his campaign promise to expel millions of undocumented migrants from the United States. His government has turned to so-called third-country deportations in cases where the home nations of some of those targeted for removal refuse to accept them.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US says it has deported five 'barbaric' migrants to Eswatini
The US says it has deported what it described as five "criminal illegal aliens" to the southern African kingdom of Eswatini. On board the flight were five deportees from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba and Yemen who have been convicted of crimes ranging from child rape to murder, US Homeland Security Department Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in an online post. "This flight took individuals so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back," McLaughlin wrote on X. Earlier this month, after weeks of delays, the US sent eight migrants from several countries to South Sudan. The country initially agreed to accept the deportees. As a result, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked all visas for South Sudanese passport holders. It is not clear if that has now changed. Last week, Nigeria said it would not bow to pressure from the Trump administration to accept Venezuelan deportees or third-country prisoners from the US. President Donald Trump's pledge to conduct mass deportations was a centrepiece of his election campaign and an issue on which he drew widespread support, including many Hispanic voters. He said he wanted to deport people living in the US illegally but White House efforts have been much broader in scope - taking aim at people in the US on student visas, suspending admissions of refugees except white South Africans, and moving to revoke temporary work permits and other protections that had been granted to immigrants by previous presidents. To crack down on immigrants, Trump's administration has resumed raids at workplaces, a tactic that had been suspended under his predecessor, Joe Biden. Nigeria has 'enough problems' and can't take deportees from US, minister says 'We can't do without these people': Trump's migrant crackdown has businesses worried In a series of posts on the X social media platform, McLaughlin listed the crimes the five had been convicted of, describing them as "depraved monsters" who had been "terrorizing American communities". "A safe third country deportation flight to Eswatini in Southern Africa has landed," she said, adding: "They are off of American soil". Eswatini, the last absolute monarchy in Africa, has not commented on the arrival of the flight. But the tiny African country had been named in media reports as a potential recipient of deportees from the US. Formerly known as Swaziland, Eswatini is landlocked by neighbours South Africa and Mozambique. It has been led by King Mswati III since 1986. Last month, the US Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to resume deporting migrants to countries other than their own. Rwanda has confirmed discussions have taken place, while Benin, Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Moldova have been named in media reports as potential recipient countries. Trump's administration has already deported people to El Salvador and Costa Rica. US cuts visa validity for applicants from four African countries Six things Trump should know about Liberia after he praised leader's 'good English' Why Trump invited five African leaders to the White House Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
BBC News
16-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
US President Donald Trump's administration deports five migrants to Eswatini
The US says it has deported what it described as five "criminal illegal aliens" to the southern African kingdom of board the flight were five deportees from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba and Yemen who have been convicted of crimes ranging from child rape to murder, US Homeland Security Department Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in an online post."This flight took individuals so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back," McLaughlin wrote on X. Earlier this month, after weeks of delays, the US sent eight migrants from several countries to South Sudan. The country initially agreed to accept the deportees. As a result, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked all visas for South Sudanese passport holders. It is not clear if that has now week, Nigeria said it would not bow to pressure from the Trump administration to accept Venezuelan deportees or third-country prisoners from the US. President Donald Trump's pledge to conduct mass deportations was a centrepiece of his election campaign and an issue on which he drew widespread support, including many Hispanic said he wanted to deport people living in the US illegally but White House efforts have been much broader in scope - taking aim at people in the US on student visas, suspending admissions of refugees except white South Africans, and moving to revoke temporary work permits and other protections that had been granted to immigrants by previous crack down on immigrants, Trump's administration has resumed raids at workplaces, a tactic that had been suspended under his predecessor, Joe has 'enough problems' and can't take deportees from US, minister says'We can't do without these people': Trump's migrant crackdown has businesses worriedIn a series of posts on the X social media platform, McLaughlin listed the crimes the five had been convicted of, describing them as "depraved monsters" who had been "terrorizing American communities". "A safe third country deportation flight to Eswatini in Southern Africa has landed," she said, adding: "They are off of American soil". Eswatini, the last absolute monarchy in Africa, has not commented on the arrival of the flight. But the tiny African country had been named in media reports as a potential recipient of deportees from the known as Swaziland, Eswatini is landlocked by neighbours South Africa and Mozambique. It has been led by King Mswati III since month, the US Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to resume deporting migrants to countries other than their own. Rwanda has confirmed discussions have taken place, while Benin, Angola, Equatorial Guinea and Moldova have been named in media reports as potential recipient administration has already deported people to El Salvador and Costa Rica. You may also be interested in: US cuts visa validity for applicants from four African countriesSix things Trump should know about Liberia after he praised leader's 'good English'Why Trump invited five African leaders to the White House Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
