# U.S. Deports Migrants to Africa

> Human Rights Watch accuses U.S. of deporting migrants to African countries with no ties.
- Title: U.S. Deports Migrants to Africa · Allafrica | Shortify
- Summary: Human Rights Watch accuses U.S. of deporting migrants to African countries with no ties. Human Rights Watch says U.S. deportations to African countries…
- Keywords: human rights watch, us immigration, african countries, deportation, migrants, international law, us policy, news, world, politics, Deports, Africa
- Source: Allafrica — https://allafrica.com/stories/202610080361.html
- Published: 2026-10-08T12:06:43+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: human rights watch, us immigration, african countries, deportation, migrants, international law, us policy, news, world, politics
## U.S. Deportation Policy
Human Rights Watch says U.S. deportation policy violates international law by sending migrants to African countries they have no ties to.

> The United States is violating international law by deporting migrants to African countries where they have no ties
## Deportation Numbers
Over 500 people have been deported from the U.S. to African countries other than their own, according to ICE data.

> More than 500 people have since been deported from the US to African countries other than their own
## Global Deportation Scale
A separate investigation estimated around 25,000 people have been deported to destinations worldwide under the third-country deportation program.

> A separate investigation published by the Forbidden Stories journalism consortium in September estimated that around 25,000 people had been deported to destinations worldwide under the third-country deportation programme
## LGBTQI+ Deportations
Human Rights Watch says at least a dozen LGBTQI+ people have been deported to African countries where same-sex relations are criminalized.

> Human Rights Watch said Washington had also deported at least a dozen LGBTQI+ people to African countries where same-sex relations are criminalised or heavily repressed
## Deportation Strategy
A U.S. official told a Senate hearing that the choice of distant destinations is intended to scare migrants by threatening they will be dropped in remote areas.

> With countries like Palau or Eswatini, the point is that the administration can threaten people that they will literally be dropped in the middle of nowhere
## Non-Refoulement Risk
Human Rights Watch warns that deporting migrants to countries where they face persecution could breach the international legal principle of non-refoulement.

> The group warned that transferring people to countries where they face persecution or serious abuse could breach the international legal principle of non-refoulement
## African Country Involvement
Burundi has become the 15th African nation to sign up for receiving U.S. deportees despite facing severe economic and humanitarian pressures.

> Burundi became the latest country to sign up this month, becoming the 15th African nation to agree to receive US deportees despite facing severe economic and humanitarian pressures of its own
## Key takeaway

Human Rights Watch says U.S. deportations to African countries violate international law and exploit migrant suffering.