Congo joins growing group of nations taking migrants deported from US

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has agreed to receive migrants deported from the United States under Washington’s third-country deportation programme, becoming the latest nation to participate in the controversial initiative. Congo joins a growing list of nations involved in similar arrangements. Countries including Eswatini , Ghana , Cameroon , Equatorial Guinea , South Sudan and Uganda have either accepted deportees or signed related agreements with Washington.

In a statement issued Sunday, Congo’s communications ministry said deportees are expected to begin arriving later this month, though authorities did not disclose the exact date or the number of migrants involved. The government described the arrangement as a temporary measure reflecting the country’s commitment to “human dignity and international solidarity.”

Officials said the plan would involve no financial cost for Congo , with the United States covering the logistics of deportation flights, security and other operational expenses. Facilities near Kinshasa are reportedly being prepared to accommodate deportees once they arrive, although details about capacity and how long migrants will stay remain unclear.

Many of the individuals transferred under such arrangements are migrants in the US immigration system who have received final removal orders but cannot easily be returned to their home countries. Some are detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement before deportation or are taken into custody after immigration court proceedings.

The policy expanded under the administration of Donald Trump , which has sought agreements with other countries to relocate migrants when direct deportation to their country of origin proves difficult. According to a report by Democratic staff of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee , Washington has spent at least USD 40 million to deport about 300 migrants to third countries.

The nationalities of migrants sent under the programme are often not disclosed, though previous transfers have involved people from multiple regions, including Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Human rights organisations and immigration lawyers have criticised the policy, arguing that some deportees may have protection orders from US immigration judges preventing their return to their home countries due to safety concerns. They also question sending migrants to nations with which they have no personal ties.

Responding to such concerns, Congo’s government said no automatic transfers would occur and that each case would be reviewed individually under national law and security requirements before migrants are admitted into the country.