US Expands Controversial Deportation Agreements with Honduras and Uganda

Thu Oct 23 2025 10:19:14 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

New deportation deals signal increased efforts to manage immigration, raising human rights concerns.

The US has successfully struck bilateral deportation agreements with Honduras and Uganda, leading to the return of migrants from the US-Mexico border. Under these arrangements, the two nations will accept deported individuals, although human rights advocates warn of potential dangers for those sent to countries where they do not have citizenship.

The US has reached new bilateral deportation deals with Honduras and Uganda as part of a strategic initiative focused on controlling illegal immigration, according to documents acquired by CBS. Under these agreements, Uganda has committed to accept African and Asian asylum seekers currently stranded at the US-Mexico border, while Honduras is set to accept several hundred migrants from Spanish-speaking countries.

This maneuver forms part of the broader immigration control strategy under the Donald Trump administration, which seeks to enlist more nations to accommodate deported migrants who are not their original citizens. Human rights organizations have decried this approach, citing the potential for these individuals to be sent to unsafe environments where they may face harm.

The agreement with Uganda stipulates that the country will receive deported migrants who do not have any criminal history, although the precise number remains unreported. Concurrently, Honduras has agreed to accept these individuals over a two-year period, expressing openness to receiving additional families traveling with children if opportunities arise.

These bilateral pacts are part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to solidify deportation arrangements with various countries worldwide, some of which possess controversial human rights records. In recent weeks, the US State Department announced a "safe third country" deal with Paraguay aimed at managing illegal immigration burdens collaboratively.

Rwanda, another target in these efforts, has indicated its willingness to receive up to 250 migrants, conditional upon assessing the circumstances of each individual. Critics have raised alarms about Rwanda's human rights history, suggesting significant risks for deportees who might be returned to countries where they face threats.

Earlier in the year, Panama and Costa Rica also agreed to accommodate several hundred migrants from the US. Documents reveal the Trump administration has proactively reached out to countries such as Ecuador and Spain to further this agenda.

Since the commencement of his second term, Trump has intensified his campaign to expel undocumented migrants, a core promise that garnered significant electoral support during his campaigning. In June, the US Supreme Court enabled Trump to resume the deportations to nations other than the migrants’ home countries, absent considerations for the potential dangers involved. This decision faced dissent from Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, who labeled it “a gross abuse.” Critics, including UN rights experts, argue that these deportations could breach international law standards regarding the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers.