US deportations: Sierra Leone receives nine migrants as rights safeguards are questioned

Nine migrants deported from the United States arrived in Sierra Leone early Wednesday, according to the country’s ministry of information. The arrival added to concerns about agreements the Trump administration used with African countries. Critics have questioned whether these removals protected migrants’ rights. The group landed at Sierra Leone’s international airport near Freetown.

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Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister Timothy Kabba told local media on Wednesday that the government agreed to temporarily receive deportees from the Trump administration. Timothy Kabba said Sierra Leone only accepted West African nationals. Timothy Kabba also said the arrangement was backed by a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. government.

Trump administration deportation deals with African nations

The U.S. has made third-country deportation deals with at least eight other African nations. The known countries are Congo, Equatorial Guinea, South Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Eswatini, Ghana and Cameroon. Many were among those hit hardest by Trump administration policies on trade, aid and migration. Most agreement details have not been made public.

A February report by Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said the Trump administration spent at least $40 million. The report said this funding helped deport more than 300 migrants. These deportations sent people to countries that were not their own. Lawyers and activists have questioned how such deals worked in practice.

Sierra Leone deportees and nationality details

Sierra Leone’s ministry of information said five of the nine deportees were from Ghana. Two were from Guinea, and one each was from Senegal and Nigeria. The ministry said all were placed in hosting facilities. "All have been checked into their hosting facilities, are comfortable, and receiving the necessary support,\" the statement read.

The ministry said officials first expected 24 deportees, but did not explain the shortfall. Alma David, an immigration lawyer with the U.S.-based Novo Legal Group, offered one possible reason. Alma David said some removals were stopped shortly before the flight left the United States.

Legal challenges to Trump administration deportations

Court documents seen by The Associated Press showed one case linked to Sierra Leone. A federal judge stopped a woman’s deportation to Sierra Leone. The judge acted after the government did not allow a request for protection under the Convention Against Torture, as the law required.

Another recent case involved a deportation to Congo. Last week, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to return a Colombian woman to the U.S. from Congo. The order followed her deportation despite Congo refusing to accept her. Congo said it could not meet the woman’s medical needs.

Concerns have also focused on the receiving countries’ records. Several nations linked to these agreements have repressive governments and weak human rights records. The examples cited include Eswatini, South Sudan and Equatorial Guinea. State Department documents showed some countries received millions of dollars in return.

For Sierra Leone, the government said it was accepting only West African nationals on a temporary basis. The ministry of information confirmed the nine deportees were receiving support after arrival. However, the ministry did not explain why 24 deportees were expected but only nine landed on Wednesday. Public details on most related agreements remained limited.

With inputs from PTI