Controversial Deportation Plan to Eswatini Raises Concerns

Wed Oct 22 2025 09:13:27 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The US government's recent decision to deport Kilmar Ábrego García to Eswatini has sparked widespread criticism due to its ethical implications and lack of connections.

Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadoran immigrant embroiled in a contentious deportation saga, is now facing a new plan by the Trump administration to send him to Eswatini. Despite previous deportation considerations to Uganda, his concerns about persecution have led authorities to pursue this unusual alternative. With no ties to Eswatini, the decision has drawn significant criticism, further complicating the already contentious immigration policies stemming from earlier administration actions against Ábrego García.

The Trump administration has revealed a plan to deport Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadoran man who has been at the center of an immigration controversy, to the southern African kingdom of Eswatini.

In an email to his lawyers obtained by the BBC's US partner CBS, an immigration officer stated that they were altering last month's decision to send him to Uganda. This change follows Mr. Ábrego García's expression of fears of persecution in Uganda, even though the officer noted that such claims were hard to take seriously. Nonetheless, US authorities have agreed to reconsider his deportation to that location.

Mr. Ábrego García was improperly deported to El Salvador in March, only to be brought back to face criminal charges. US officials have admitted the initial removal was a mistake.

After being returned to the US in June, he was detained and charged with human smuggling, of which he pleaded not guilty. The Trump administration claims he is affiliated with the MS-13 gang, a connection he denies.

This case has become a point of contention in the administration's broader immigration crackdown. Notably, Mr. Ábrego García has no affiliation with Eswatini, the fourth country recommended for his deportation.

Eswatini, previously known as Swaziland, is situated between South Africa and Mozambique and is recognized as one of the last absolute monarchies globally, ruled by King Mswati III since 1986. The US has already deported five individuals to Eswatini, referring to them as criminal illegal aliens, which has raised alarms about the tiny nation being perceived as a dumping ground for criminals.

While Eswatini has not confirmed whether it receives financial compensation for the deportations executed under the Trump administration, the US remains a significant market for Eswatini's sugar, which may influence the kingdom's willingness to participate in these deportation agreements.

Mr. Ábrego García entered the US illegally as a teenager from El Salvador and was arrested along with three other men in Maryland in 2019, leading to his detention by federal immigration authorities.