Uganda
Uganda agrees to receive deported migrants from US under strict conditions, as a foreign ministry official announced a temporary arrangement to accept third-country nationals reluctant to return home, excluding those with criminal records or unaccompanied minors while prioritising African individuals amid Washington’s push for faster deportations.
In a move that has sparked both support and controversy, Uganda has entered into an agreement with the United States to accept migrants who fail to qualify for asylum but are hesitant to go back to their countries of origin. The deal, revealed on Thursday, 21 August 2025, by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vincent Bagiire, positions Uganda as the latest African nation to partner with the US in managing immigration flows. This temporary arrangement comes as President Donald Trump’s administration ramps up efforts to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, seeking third-country solutions to expedite removals. While the pact aims to address humanitarian concerns for those fearing persecution at home, it has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organisations worried about overburdening Uganda’s already strained refugee system and the potential for inadequate protections.    
Bagiire shared the details in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, emphasising the agreement’s limited scope. “The agreement is in respect of Third Country Nationals who may not be granted asylum in the United States, but are reluctant to or may have concerns about returning to their countries of origin,” he explained. Key conditions include barring individuals with criminal records and unaccompanied minors to ensure safety and manageability. Uganda has also voiced a clear preference for accepting people from African countries, which could streamline integration given shared cultural and regional ties. “The two parties are working out the detailed modalities on how the agreement shall be implemented,” Bagiire added, indicating that operational specifics, such as numbers, logistics, and support mechanisms, are still under negotiation.    
This pact aligns with Trump’s renewed focus on immigration enforcement since his return to office in January 2025, following his victory in the 2024 elections. The US has been actively pursuing “safe third country” agreements under immigration laws that allow rerouting asylum seekers to other nations for processing. These deals enable the deportation of individuals whose home countries refuse to accept them back, often due to safety risks or diplomatic tensions. Uganda joins a growing list of African partners, including Rwanda, which announced on 5 August 2025 its readiness to host up to 250 migrants, and South Sudan, which received eight deportees in July 2025. Eswatini also accepted five individuals with criminal backgrounds that same month, highlighting the US’s strategy to offload challenging cases to willing nations.     
Beyond Africa, the US has secured similar arrangements with countries like Honduras, El Salvador, and Paraguay. In Honduras, a deal signed earlier in 2025 facilitates the return of non-Honduran migrants, while Paraguay’s safe third country agreement, inked on 14 August 2025, offers asylum seekers the chance to pursue claims there instead of the US. These pacts are rooted in a provision of US immigration law allowing officials to redirect migrants to nations deemed safe for processing, but they have faced backlash for potentially exposing vulnerable people to substandard conditions or rights abuses.    
Human rights groups have fiercely criticised these third-country deportation schemes, labelling them as cruel and ineffective. Organisations argue that sending migrants to unfamiliar nations with limited resources could lead to exploitation, inadequate support, or even refoulement—forced return to places where they face danger, violating international refugee conventions. In Uganda’s case, concerns are amplified by the country’s existing burden as Africa’s top refugee host. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Uganda shelters around 1.7 to 2 million people fleeing conflicts in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Sudan. This generous policy has earned praise, but it strains infrastructure, with camps often overcrowded and reliant on international aid. Critics question whether Uganda can absorb more arrivals without compromising services for current refugees or its own citizens.    
The announcement follows conflicting reports that initially muddied the waters. On 20 August 2025, Uganda’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Oryem Okello denied any such deal, telling media that the country lacks facilities and infrastructure to handle undocumented immigrants. “To the best of my knowledge we have not reached such an agreement. We do not have the facilities and infrastructure to accommodate such illegal immigrants in Uganda,” he said. This came after US media outlets, citing internal documents, claimed an accord was in place. However, Bagiire’s statement the next day confirmed the agreement, suggesting internal clarifications or finalisations occurred overnight. Oryem later raised practical worries, asking: “We are talking about cartels: people who are unwanted in their own countries. How can we integrate them into local communities in Uganda?” He also linked discussions to broader issues like visas, tariffs, and sanctions, hinting at potential trade-offs in the negotiations.     
The US’s motivation stems from Trump’s pledge to deport up to 20 million undocumented migrants, a cornerstone of his 2024 campaign. With many home countries unwilling to repatriate citizens due to safety fears or diplomatic strains, third-country options provide a workaround. Legal experts note these deportations must comply with US laws requiring safe destinations, but real-world application has been contentious. For instance, the July 2025 deportations to Eswatini involved individuals from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Yemen, and Cuba, despite Eswatini’s poor human rights record as flagged in a 2023 US State Department report. Such moves have alarmed advocates, who describe them as dumping problems on poorer nations with “months of robust high-level engagements” often involving aid or concessions.     
For Uganda, the agreement could bring benefits like strengthened bilateral ties or economic incentives, but it risks domestic backlash. As a US ally in East Africa, Uganda receives significant aid—over $1 billion annually for health, security, and development. However, critics fear it might complicate relations if seen as enabling harsh US policies. There’s also apprehension about impacts on trade, given historic US-Iran animosity mentioned in unrelated contexts, but more relevantly, potential scrutiny under frameworks like the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which offers duty-free access to US markets but requires adherence to human rights standards. While no direct link exists, rights groups warn that hosting deportees could invite criticism and affect eligibility.   
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