US Deports Convicted Criminals to Eswatini

The United States deported five men convicted of serious crimes, including murder and child rape, to Eswatini after their home countries—Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos—refused to accept them. This move follows a Supreme Court decision lifting restrictions on third-country deportations under an expanded Trump administration policy. Eswatini, ruled by King Mswati III as Africa's last absolute monarchy, is holding the men in isolated correctional facilities pending repatriation. Eswatini's government has pledged to observe due process and human rights standards. Human rights groups and pro-democracy activists have voiced concerns about transparency, due process, and risks to both the deportees and local residents. The U.S. is continuing to pursue similar deportation agreements with other countries, though some, like Nigeria, have resisted.