Five U.S.-Deported Immigrants Held in Solitary Confinement in Eswatini Amid Global Human Rights Concerns

Matsapha Correctional Complex is seen in Matsapha, near Mbabane, Eswatini, Thursday July 17, 2025

Five immigrants deported from the United States under a controversial third-country transfer program are being held in solitary confinement in Eswatini, according to an official statement from the southern African nation. The men, identified as nationals of Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos, were labeled by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as "uniquely barbaric" for crimes including murder and child rape.

Thabile Mdluli, spokesperson for Eswatini’s government, confirmed the men are being detained in undisclosed correctional facilities due to security reasons. Although unconfirmed by authorities, local media have reported they are being held at Matsapha Correctional Complex, the country's primary maximum-security prison located outside Mbabane. The duration of their confinement and the conditions under which they will be repatriated to their countries of origin remain unclear.

The deportations are part of a continuation of the Trump-era immigration policy that allows the U.S. to transfer undocumented immigrants convicted of serious crimes to third countries that have no direct ties to the individuals. The strategy has drawn international criticism and was temporarily stalled due to legal challenges but has resumed under renewed diplomatic arrangements.

Eswatini, a country of 1.2 million people bordered by South Africa and Mozambique, is the latest African nation to accept deportees from the U.S. under this program. Earlier this month, eight men from various countries, including Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, and South Sudan, were sent to South Sudan after being held at a U.S. military base in Djibouti. All were accused of violent crimes and reportedly detained in austere conditions, including confinement in a converted shipping container.

Eswatini’s government stated that the five recently received deportees are “in transit” and will be returned to their respective home countries with the help of the United Nations' International Organization for Migration (IOM). However, IOM said it was not involved in the deportation and had not been contacted to assist, though it is open to providing humanitarian support if requested.

This statement stands in contrast to assertions by the U.S. government that the deportees were transferred to Eswatini because their home countries refused to accept them. It remains uncertain how relocating them to Eswatini facilitates eventual repatriation or whether their return is realistically possible given historical resistance from those nations.

No timeline has been provided for their repatriation, as the process reportedly depends on multiple factors, including negotiations with IOM. “We are not yet in a position to determine the timelines for the repatriation,” Mdluli stated.

The circumstances surrounding Eswatini’s agreement to accept the deportees remain classified. Analysts speculate that African nations such as Eswatini and South Sudan may be entering these secretive arrangements with the U.S. in exchange for improved diplomatic relations or economic incentives, particularly amid reductions in foreign aid and trade threats by the Trump administration.

Human rights advocates have raised alarm over the choice of host countries. Eswatini, Africa’s last absolute monarchy, has long faced criticism for its repressive political climate, restrictions on opposition parties, and violent crackdowns on dissent. The Matsapha Correctional Complex, where the men are believed to be held, has been cited by rights organizations for harsh prison conditions and holding political prisoners without due process.

The Trump administration continues to pursue more third-country deportation deals, further intensifying debate over the legality and morality of such transfers.