- Eswatini received two more deportees from the United States on August 27, 2026, bringing the latest batch under the deal.
- The government says the transfers are temporary, but rights groups question detention conditions and legal access for earlier arrivals.
- The arrangement has now moved more than 30 people, with payment reported at about $5.1 million.
Eswatini said on August 27, 2026, that it received two more third-country nationals deported from the United States. The arrivals marked the fifth batch sent under the bilateral arrangement since the first group reached the kingdom in July 2025.
The government described the men as Latin American. It did not disclose their nationalities or say how long they would remain.
The transfers have now exceeded 30 people. The latest pair are the newest US deportees sent to the southern African kingdom under the third-country deal.
Rights groups and lawyers have challenged the arrangement. They say some people remain detained there after completing their U.S. criminal sentences.
The government says the migrants are being held temporarily. It expects them to return to their countries of origin.
Two earlier transfers have already left the kingdom
On August 18, 2026, the government said two previously transferred migrants had gone home. It identified their destinations as Mauritania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Acting government spokesperson Thabile Mdluli said the Mauritanian national sought voluntary repatriation. The man also wanted to reunite with his family.
“following his request for voluntary repatriation and his expressed desire to reunite with his family”
Mdluli’s statement concerned the earlier departures. The government has continued describing the remaining transfers as temporary while it arranges returns.
A court order followed a nine-month lawyer-access dispute
Amnesty International said on August 5, 2026, that four of the first people transferred from the United States lacked in-person access to a local lawyer for nine months. The Supreme Court later upheld an order requiring that access.
Pro-democracy and civil rights groups have opposed the arrangement through protests, lawsuits and public statements. Their objections focus on detention conditions and the treatment of people whose U.S. criminal sentences have ended.
The government’s latest announcement did not identify the new arrivals. Their Latin American description leaves their citizenships undisclosed.
The arrangement combines payments with a temporary-transfer promise
| Program element | Reported detail |
|---|---|
| Payment associated with the arrangement | $5.1 million |
| Planned capacity | Up to 160 deportees |
| Government description of custody | Temporary, pending return arrangements |
| Stated use of funds | Managing the program and strengthening border and migration capacity |
The payment figure has two related descriptions. The agreement has been reported as valued at $5.1 million, while the government has said it received about $5.1 million from the Trump administration for program management and migration capacity.
Men transferred earlier came from Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen and other countries. The arrangement forms part of a wider U.S. practice of sending some migrants to third countries when their governments will not accept them.
The new arrivals therefore extend an existing policy, rather than opening a new transfer route. The fifth batch also shows that the arrangement remains operational.
The transfers fit a wider payment-backed removal policy
A Senate Foreign Relations Committee minority report found at least $32.3 million in direct payments to five foreign governments for third-country deportation arrangements as of January 2026.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security defended such agreements in a statement addressing their legal and security rationale.
“These third-country agreements, which ensure due process under the US Constitution, are essential to the safety of our homeland and the American people”
The statement contrasts with the access dispute documented by Amnesty International. That organization said the Supreme Court order ultimately required in-person legal access for four early arrivals.
The latest transfer keeps the agreement active as of August 28, 2026. The government continues to frame the custody as temporary, with repatriation arrangements pending.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.
