US-Rwanda migration talks gain momentum

Rwanda on Monday, May 5, 2025, disclosed that it is currently engaged in preliminary discussions with the Trump administration about the possibility of accepting migrants deported from the United States.

This information was confirmed by Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe.

He noted that while the conversations are in their early stages, the concept itself is not unfamiliar to Rwanda.

The country had previously agreed to a similar arrangement with the United Kingdom.

Although that deal ultimately fell through after a change in the UK government.

The Labour Party, under the leadership of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, scrapped the plan last July following a series of legal challenges.

In a recent interview broadcast on Rwandan television, Nduhungirehe stated that the Rwandan government remains committed to offering “a second chance” to migrants facing difficulties globally.

He emphasized that discussions with U.S. officials are ongoing but that it is too soon to determine whether any agreement will be reached.

The minister’s remarks come in the wake of statements made by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’

Rubio, had in April said that the United States was “actively searching” for countries willing to take in deported individuals.

He reportedly described some of them as “the most despicable human beings.”

President Donald Trump, who returned to office in January, has made the expulsion of undocumented migrants a central focus of his administration.

Promising “mass deportations,” the Trump administration has reportedly stepped up efforts to remove individuals without legal status in the U.S.

According to media reports, it is now seeking partner countries to absorb those being sent back.

As part of this broader push, El Salvador recently agreed to receive deported criminals from the United States.

These include some with U.S. citizenship, offering to accommodate them in a newly built mega-prison.

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele confirmed the offer, stating that his country would participate in exchange for financial compensation.

Other Central American countries, including Panama and Costa Rica, have also received deportees from the U.S.

This signalled a regional willingness among some nations to cooperate with American immigration enforcement initiatives.

Rwanda appears to be the first African country publicly linked to such a deal under the current administration.

An anonymous Rwandan official recently told the Washington Post that Kigali is “open” to accepting additional migrants expelled from the U.S., citing the example of an Iraqi individual who was relocated to Rwanda in March.

The same official indicated that discussions with the U.S. had begun shortly after Trump resumed the presidency earlier this year.

Despite Rwanda’s openness to accepting deportees, the country has faced scrutiny over its human rights practices.

Critics have expressed concern that migrants sent to Rwanda may face the risk of being deported again to their countries of origin, potentially putting them in harm’s way.

However, Rwandan authorities have repeatedly pushed back against these accusations.

They asserted that the nation is a secure and suitable destination for refugees and asylum seekers.

As the United States continues to explore additional international partners for its deportation policies, other countries have also emerged as potential destinations.

Among them is Libya, another nation reportedly under consideration by the U.S. for the resettlement of deported individuals.

This reflects a broader trend in U.S. immigration policy aimed at outsourcing the management of deported migrants to third-party countries.

This is supposedly often in exchange for economic or political concessions.

While Rwanda’s talks with the United States remain unresolved, the discussions reflect a growing international dynamic.

This is a situation in which wealthier nations are seeking agreements with smaller or developing countries to manage migration issues.

Whether Rwanda ultimately agrees to such a deal will depend on the outcome of ongoing negotiations and domestic considerations about its capacity to receive and support deported individuals.

For now, the Rwandan government maintains that its primary motivation is to provide a humane solution for those facing global displacement.

However, the full implications of such arrangements remain to be seen.

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