Democratic Republic of Congo Agrees to Accept Third-Country Deportees from US

The Democratic Republic of the Congo agreed to accept third-country nationals deported from the United States under the Trump administration's deportation program, with arrivals beginning in April 2026. The DRC describes the arrangement as temporary and reflecting its commitment to human dignity, with the US covering all deportation costs. The agreement comes as the Trump administration pursues broader strategic interests in the region, including brokering peace between the DRC and Rwanda and securing access to Congolese critical minerals. The DRC joins Ghana, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, and Uganda in accepting US deportees, part of a systematic third-country deportation effort that has cost at least $40 million to deport about 300 migrants. Legal experts and rights groups have challenged these deportations, with the Uganda Law Society filing court challenges and advocates warning of serious due process and human rights concerns when deportees are sent to countries where they are not nationals and have no choice in destination.

DRC agreement to accept third-country deportees from the US

• ▪The Democratic Republic of the Congo will begin receiving deportees from the United States in April 2026.
• ▪The Democratic Republic of the Congo described the deportee arrangement with the United States as temporary and reflecting Congo's commitment to human dignity and international solidarity.
• ▪The Democratic Republic of the Congo agreed to receive third-country nationals deported from the United States under a deal with the Trump administration.
• ▪The Congolese Ministry of Communications did not provide details on the number of deportee arrivals expected under the agreement with the United States.
• ▪The Trump administration is working to secure US access to Congolese critical minerals.
• ▪The Trump administration is working to broker a peace deal between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.
• ▪The United States will pay for the deportations to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Congolese government will face no costs.

Broader US practice of third-country deportations to African nations

• ▪The Trump administration made a deal with Uganda to send deportees to the country.
• ▪The Trump administration spent at least $40 million to deport about 300 migrants to countries other than their own according to a Democratic staff report from the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
• ▪The United States has sent third-country deportees to Ghana, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Eswatini.
• ▪A dozen deportees were set to arrive in Uganda under the deal with the Trump administration.
• ▪Third-country deportations by the United States have been systematically pursued since February 2025 according to the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants.

Legal and human rights concerns over third-country deportations

• ▪The Uganda Law Society went to court to challenge the deportation of individuals to Uganda under the Trump administration deal.
• ▪Individuals subject to third-country deportation typically have no choice in where they are sent according to the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants.
• ▪The US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants stated that third-country deportation raises serious due process and human rights concerns, particularly when the receiving country may not be safe.
• ▪Asiimwe Anthony of the Uganda Law Society described third-country deportations as one gust from the ill winds of transnational repression blowing across the world.

Perspective of Democratic Republic of the Congo government

• ▪The Democratic Republic of the Congo characterizes accepting US deportees as reflecting Congo's commitment to human dignity.
• ▪The Democratic Republic of the Congo emphasizes the deportee arrangement with the United States is temporary in nature.

Perspective of Legal experts and human rights groups

• ▪Legal experts and rights groups question the legal basis for US third-country deportations to African countries.

Perspective of Trump administration

• ▪The Trump administration connects deportee arrangements with securing US access to Congolese critical minerals.

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