US Deports Five Convicted Offenders to Eswatini Amid Policy Expansion

The Trump administration recently deported five men convicted of violent crimes, including murder and child rape, to Eswatini, a small African kingdom and one of the world's last absolute monarchies. These men, from Vietnam, Jamaica, Cuba, Yemen, and Laos, were rejected by their home countries and sent under a new policy enabled by a Supreme Court ruling allowing deportations to third countries where the migrants have no ties. The U.S. government has hailed the deportations as a victory for American safety, but the Eswatini government has not disclosed any agreement or plans for the deportees, raising concerns among pro-democracy groups about transparency and potential risks to the local population. This case follows a similar deportation of eight men to South Sudan earlier this month, part of a broader Trump administration effort seeking deals with African nations to accept deportees, despite international law criticisms and concerns about human rights abuses in host countries. Immigration officials now have the authority to deport migrants with as little as six hours' notice in emergencies, bypassing previous protections, though critics warn this may expose deportees to danger. The policy expansion has sparked debates over the legality and morality of sending vulnerable individuals to nations with poor human rights records without sufficient safeguards.