Rwanda is currently engaged in discussions with the Trump administration regarding the potential acceptance of migrants deported from the United States. This move could position Rwanda as the first African nation to enter into such an agreement since the Trump administration initiated a significant crackdown on migration.
Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, Rwanda’s foreign minister, confirmed that the government is in the "early stage" of talks about receiving third-country deportees from the U.S. He stated, “It is true that we are in discussions with the United States,” but cautioned that it would be premature to predict the outcome of these discussions.
The State Department has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the negotiations.
Rwanda has historically positioned itself as a partner for Western nations aiming to control migration, offering asylum to migrants or housing them while they await resettlement, often in exchange for financial compensation. However, critics argue that sending asylum seekers to Rwanda poses safety risks, citing the country's poor human rights record, limited resources, and previous instances of intimidation and surveillance of migrants and refugees.
The Trump administration has implemented various stringent measures to reduce migration, including the deportation of individuals on highly publicized flights. In March, President Trump invoked an old law to deport hundreds of alleged gang members from Venezuela to El Salvador, despite a federal judge's attempts to halt the actions. The U.S. government has been actively seeking additional countries willing to accept individuals expelled from the United States.
Additionally, the Trump administration has pressured nations to accept their citizens if deported from the U.S., threatening punitive measures against those that refuse. For instance, in early April, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked visas for all South Sudanese nationals due to the country's noncompliance with accepting its deported citizens.
If an agreement is reached between Rwanda and the Trump administration, it would mark the latest in a series of arrangements by Rwanda to accept migrants. The country currently hosts hundreds of African refugees rescued from Libya, awaiting resettlement in collaboration with the United Nations refugee agency. Rwanda has also signed agreements with Denmark to enhance cooperation on asylum and migration and has previously entered into a partnership with Israel to accept deported African migrants.
In 2022, Rwanda agreed to a controversial deal with Britain to accept third-country asylum seekers, which was later ruled unlawful by the British Supreme Court. Following a change in government, the new Labour administration scrapped the deal, which had cost British taxpayers approximately £715 million, with £290 million allocated to Rwanda. The Rwandan government has stated it will not repay this amount.
The ongoing discussions between Rwanda and the United States, first reported last week, coincide with U.S. efforts to mediate a peace agreement in the conflict between Rwanda and the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.
Reports have indicated that the United States has deported an Iraqi refugee, Omar Abdulsattar Ameen, to Rwanda; however, Nduhungirehe did not address this case during his interview.