Sierra Leone Accepts Nine US Deportees as Washington Expands Third-Country Returns
A charter flight delivered nine West African migrants to Sierra Leone's international airport on Wednesday morning. The arrivals follow a commitment by Sierra Leone's Foreign Minister, Timothy Musa Kabba, to accept up to 300 individuals annually expelled by the United States, provided they originate from Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member countries.
Expanding Deportation Routes
This initiative expands Washington's policy of deporting migrants to third countries, a strategy that has seen individuals sent to nations they had not previously resided in. The US has previously deported migrants to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, and South Sudan, among other African states. This practice, a key component of Donald Trump's political agenda, has been implemented since his ascent to power.
Of the nine recent arrivals, five are Ghanaian, two Guinean, one Nigerian, and one Senegalese. Despite ECOWAS agreements permitting citizens to stay within member states for up to 90 days, the private company housing the migrants in Sierra Leone indicated they would only provide accommodation for two weeks before facilitating their return to their home countries.
Cost and Criticism
A US Senate committee report suggests the Trump administration has allocated over $40 million (£30 million) to third-country deportations, with the full financial scope remaining unclear. Sierra Leonean authorities have not disclosed any reciprocal arrangements for accepting the deportees.
The policy has drawn significant condemnation from human rights organisations. Human Rights Watch previously urged African nations to reject these 'opaque deals', asserting they 'instrumentalise human suffering'. Critics argue that deportations to third countries contravene international human rights standards, placing vulnerable individuals at undue risk. Ghana, another nation involved in these arrangements, has similarly stipulated that it will only accept deportees from within ECOWAS member states, a condition articulated by Ghanaian President John Mahama.
