Faith Nyasuguta
In a quietly signed agreement made in June 2025, Rwanda has agreed to accept up to 250 migrants deported from the United States under the Trump administration’s third-country removal policy. Kigali retains the authority to vet and approve each individual, rejecting those with unfinished prison sentences or active criminal cases. Child sex offenders are not accepted under the terms of the deal.
The government spokesperson, Yolande Makolo, emphasized that Rwanda’s long history of displacement inspired the country’s role: “Nearly every Rwandan family has experienced the hardships of displacement- our societal values are founded on reintegration and rehabilitation.” Approved migrants will receive workforce training, health care, and accommodation support to help them integrate into society and contribute to Rwanda’s fast-growing economy.
Though specific timelines were not disclosed, officials confirmed that the U.S. has already sent an initial list of ten individuals for vetting. Rwanda may expand the program beyond 250 people through mutual consent with the United States, and migrants are not required to stay permanently – they can leave Rwanda if they choose.
The agreement is part of a broader U.S. initiative under President Trump to deport undocumented immigrants by relocating them to third countries, particularly when their home countries refuse to accept them. South Sudan and Eswatini have already accepted small numbers of U.S.-deported migrants: eight to South Sudan and five to Eswatini – some labeled as criminals by the U.S. government. Rights groups and legal experts have strongly criticized these removals, warning they may contravene international law and expose individuals to mistreatment or abduction.
Rwanda’s new arrangement follows the collapse of a similar deal with the United Kingdom, negotiated in 2022 and scrapped in July 2024 by the incoming Labour government, after courts ruled the plan unlawful. That UK proposal had been widely criticized and cost over 700 million Euros , yet resulted in no deportations. Rwanda now intends to use previously built housing, such as the Hope Hostel in Kigali, originally prepared for the UK scheme, to accommodate incoming U.S. deportees.
While Rwanda projects an image of stability and economic progress – having recovered significantly since the 1994 genocide – its government faces ongoing criticism over human rights violations, suppression of dissent, and alleged support for rebel groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Critics see the new deportation agreement as a strategic alignment with Washington, potentially boosting Rwanda’s international standing but raising ethical concerns over outsourcing migration enforcement.
One political analyst remarked that the deal “enhances Rwanda’s strategic interest of having good relationships with the Trump administration.”
As of August 2025, Rwanda is now the third African nation to strike such a deal with the U.S., after South Sudan and Eswatini, marking a notable shift in how international migration and deportation policies are being implemented.
Rwanda’s agreement to accept deported migrants from the U.S. – while still granting full vetting rights and offering support services – underlines a controversial and growing trend in global migration policy: outsourcing removals to third countries via financial incentives. Supporters argue it aids rapid removal and protects public safety; critics warn it risks violating international protections and sending individuals into vulnerable situations.
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