Nine West African migrants deported from the United States arrived in Sierra Leone on Wednesday, marking the latest example of third-country deportation deals under the Trump administration.
Key Takeaways
Nine West African migrants deported from the United States arrived in Sierra Leone on Wednesday, marking the latest example of third-country deportation deals under the Trump administration. The group includes five Ghanaians, two Guineans, one Senegalese, and one Nigerian. According to multiple reports:
- Nine deportees landed in Freetown via a Boeing charter flight.
- Five are from Ghana, two from Guinea, one each from Nigeria and Senegal.
- Sierra Leone agreed to accept up to 300 people annually under the deal.
- Deportees will be housed temporarily before returning home within 14 days.
- The agreement is supported by a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. government.
The group included five Ghanaians, two Guineans, one Senegalese, and one Nigerian. The deportees landed at Lungi International Airport near Freetown via a Boeing charter flight, according to multiple reports from PBS, BBC, and Al Jazeera. Sierra Leone's Foreign Minister Timothy Musa Kabba told local media that the government has agreed to temporarily receive migrants deported by the Trump administration.
The ministry of information in Sierra Leone stated that the deportees have been checked into their hosting facilities, are comfortable, and receiving necessary support. According to PBS, 24 deportees were initially expected but did not provide details on why fewer arrived. The program is capped at 25 deportees per month and 300 per year.
The U.S. has struck similar third-country deportation deals with at least eight other African nations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, South Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Eswatini, Ghana, and Cameroon. Critics argue that these deals violate international human rights standards and put vulnerable migrants at risk.
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