US Enters Deportation Agreements with Honduras and Uganda Amid Controversy

Thu Oct 23 2025 10:23:23 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The US has signed deals with Honduras and Uganda to facilitate the deportation of migrants, sparking concern from human rights advocates.

As part of its intensified efforts against illegal immigration, the US government has secured deportation agreements with Honduras and Uganda. While these deals aim to manage the influx of migrants, human rights defenders are alarmed about the risks faced by those being deported to nations with questionable human rights records.

The United States has forged bilateral deportation agreements with Honduras and Uganda amid a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration, according to documents obtained by CBS, which have drawn attention for raising significant human rights concerns.

Under the agreements, Uganda will accept a number of migrants from African and Asian nations who sought asylum at the US-Mexico border, provided they do not have criminal histories. However, the specific number of migrants Uganda is willing to accept remains undisclosed. Meanwhile, Honduras has consented to take in several hundred deportees primarily from Spanish-speaking countries over the next two years, with the possibility of accepting more based on demand.

These arrangements are part of the Trump administration's broader strategy to encourage other nations to welcome deported migrants who may not necessarily be their citizens. This comes as the US has engaged over a dozen countries across multiple continents for similar agreements, despite the controversial nature of some of these nations' human rights records.

Last week, the US State Department announced an additional agreement with Paraguay termed a "safe third country" arrangement, aimed at easing the pressures of managing illegal immigration. The administration has also been pursuing cooperation from various African countries, with Rwanda recently agreeing to provide refuge to up to 250 migrants, albeit with the stipulation that it will approve individuals on a case-by-case basis.

The approach has been met with significant backlash from human rights advocates, who argue that deporting individuals to countries where they may face harm infringes upon international law and poses severe risks to their safety. The US Supreme Court's recent ruling to allow deportations to non-native countries without allowing migrants the chance to contest the risks they face has also stoked fears among advocacy groups, with dissenting justices highlighting the troubling implications of such policies.

As the US grapples with immigration issues, it faces the challenge of balancing enforcement with humanitarian considerations, underscoring the complexities of global migration and the need for careful, ethical handling of displaced individuals seeking asylum.