US Signs Deportation Agreements with Honduras and Uganda

Washington has signed new agreements with Uganda and Honduras to deport asylum seekers and undocumented migrants. 

These deals, part of a wider US effort to reduce illegal immigration, have drawn criticism from human rights groups and legal experts who warn the arrangements risk undermining international asylum obligations. The agreement with Uganda involves transferring an unspecified number of African and Asian migrants who first sought refuge at the US-Mexico border. 

While individuals with criminal records are reportedly excluded, the lack of clear details about vetting and deportee numbers has generated distrust. Honduras has agreed to accept several hundred migrants from Spanish-speaking countries over the next two years, with possibilities for further expansion.

These agreements are part of a broader US strategy to bypass traditional repatriation processes by partnering with third countries. Similar deals have been reported with Rwanda, which may receive up to 250 migrants on a case-by-case basis, while other countries including Ecuador, Spain, Panama, and Costa Rica are being approached for potential resettlement collaborations.

The US government justifies these actions under the "safe third country" provision of immigration law, which allows asylum seekers to be sent to countries deemed capable of fairly handling asylum claims. Critics argue that many partner countries lack the infrastructure and commitment to protect migrants adequately, citing poor human rights records and insufficient resources.

Human rights organisations strongly condemn the policy, warning it could expose asylum seekers to harm and violate international refugee protections. They stress that outsourcing asylum processes to countries with weaker human rights records threatens to undermine the global asylum system and increase the risk of returning individuals to danger.

Despite opposition, the US administration defends the agreements as a key part of its immigration enforcement strategy aimed at deterring irregular migration and removing undocumented individuals.