The Trump administration has discussed transferring migrants with criminal records held in the United States to two African countries, Libya and Rwanda, multiple sources familiar with the talks told CNN.
Already, a recent U.S. overture, which included a list of names of potential deportees to Rwanda, was received warmly, according to a Rwandan official with knowledge of the situation.
Though the administration has deported only one person — an Iraqi refugee accused of having links to terrorism groups — from the United States to Rwanda so far, “we’re open to others,” said the Rwandan official.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported this month that several countries, including Libya and Rwanda, were considered as potential partners to receive migrants deported from the U.S.
Rwanda has for years promoted itself as a destination for deportations of people who are not its citizens, which critics say is an attempt to downplay its reputation for human rights abuses under its longtime president, Paul Kagame. The State Department, under the Biden administration, said last year that there were reports of “significant human rights issues” in Rwanda, including extrajudicial killings and arbitrary detention.
As part of his prime policies, President Donald Trump has vowed to prevent illegal immigrants with criminal histories or backgrounds from entering and staying in the U.S. He campaigned on and has pledged to launch the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history. Since taking office just over 100 days ago, his administration has detained and deported thousands.
Last month, the Trump administration deported reported gang members held in U.S. detention to El Salvador. Earlier this month, during a recent White House meeting with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, Trump floated the possibility of extending the criteria of deportees arriving in the Central American country to U.S. citizens who commit violent crimes.
In January, Trump directed top administration officials to pursue international agreements that would enable the U.S. to relocate asylum seekers to other countries.
What To Know
Earlier this year, Trump sent two planes full of migrants that he claimed were gang members to an El Salvadoran mega prison, CECOT. Trump and Bukele brokered a $6 million deal for El Salvador to detain about 300 migrants at CECOT for one year.
In addition to exploring similar partnerships with other countries that would allow the U.S. to deport migrants with criminal records, administration officials are also exploring a formal “safe third country” agreement with Libya, a source told CNN.
Such a deal would allow the U.S. to send asylum seekers caught at the U.S. border to Libya to process their claims. However, CNN reported that no final decision has been made, and the nationalities eligible for transfer remain unclear.
The partnership would look a bit different in Rwanda, as the country would not imprison the sentenced migrants but rather integrate them into Rwandan society through various social support programs and assistance, the source told CNN.
At Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. is in talks with multiple countries to try to get them to take people from third countries who are in the U.S. illegally. Rubio told Trump and officials that the conversations are with “not just El Salvador.” He did not name the countries in his update.
“We are working with other countries to say, ‘We want to send you some of the most despicable human beings to your countries,'” Rubio said. “‘Will you do that as a favor to us?’ And the further away the better, so they can’t come back across the border.”
Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. has asked a handful of countries to take in deportees, including Libya, Rwanda, Benin, Eswatini, Moldova, Mongolia, and Kosovo.
What People Are Saying
Political commentator DeVory Darkins, Wednesday on X, formerly Twitter: “Trump cracks down on illegal immigration, exploring deals to send criminal illegal immigrants to Rwanda and Libya. If getting sent to CECOT in El Salvador didn’t scare you enough, try Libya and Rwanda.”
What Happens Next
While the seriousness of the discussions remains unclear, if agreed upon, the move would likely face legal challenges. The partnerships are likely going to be costly for the U.S.
Written with reports from Newsweek, CNN & The Wall Street Journal
