The Trump administration has significantly expanded its "third country" deportation campaign, sending over 100 deportees from nations such as Afghanistan, Cuba, and Nicaragua to eight different African countries over a 10-day period, according to internal U.S. government documents.
Three Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deportation flights dropped off dozens of expelled men and women in Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Liberia, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone. None of the deported individuals were citizens of the countries to which they were sent. The flights also included detainees from Iran, Nepal, Turkey, and Venezuela, alongside African nationals who were deported to countries other than their home nations.
These international agreements have been kept largely confidential, but records show varying arrangements among the participating nations. For instance, countries like Ghana and Sierra Leone have reportedly agreed only to accept deportees who originate from other parts of Africa. Meanwhile, nations such as Eswatini, the Central African Republic, and Liberia have accepted detainees from Latin America, Europe, and Asia.
The criminal backgrounds of those deported vary. Some individuals sent to Eswatini and South Sudan have criminal records in addition to immigration violations, and local officials in those nations have imprisoned deportees convicted of serious and violent crimes in the U.S. However, many of the deported individuals have no criminal history beyond entering the U.S. without authorization or lacking the proper documentation to remain in the country.
In response to inquiries regarding these operations, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defended the practice. "If an illegal alien chooses to file a claim in court refusing to go to their home country, we are required by law to find a safe and secure nation for them to go to. If an illegal alien chooses to go home, we will give them a free flight home and a $3,000 check," DHS stated, adding, "The choice is theirs."
The State Department declined to comment on the authenticity of the leaked documents or private diplomatic communications. However, a spokesperson emphasized that "implementing the Trump Administration's immigration policies is a top priority for the Department of State," adding that the agency remains "unwavering in our commitment to end illegal and mass immigration and bolster America's border security."
The real-world impact of the policy is reflected in the case of Khalil, a 24-year-old Afghan national who was among those sent to the Central African Republic on a recent flight. Khalil's family has a history of assisting American forces against the Taliban. He crossed the U.S.-Mexico border illegally in 2024 after traveling through Latin America and was held in ICE custody throughout his entire time in the U.S. Khalil had hoped to join his brothers, one of whom was brought to the U.S. in 2014 because of his service with the Afghan Army alongside the American military. Legal documents show another of Khalil's brothers, a pilot, was killed during the war against the Taliban.
In August 2025, an immigration judge granted Khalil "withholding of removal" after determining he faced a credible threat of persecution in Afghanistan. However, he was disqualified from receiving full asylum under a Biden-era policy that barred asylum-seekers who did not seek protection in transit countries before reaching the U.S. While the withholding of removal order legally prevented ICE from returning Khalil to Afghanistan, it did not block his deportation to a third country—a legal mechanism the Trump administration has increasingly utilized.
Khalil's immigration lawyer, Alma David, criticized the administration's strategy. "The goal is to obliterate the global refugee protection system, and his case should serve as a warning of the unconscionable consequences," David said. Khalil's surname has been withheld due to concerns from his family that they could be targeted by the Taliban.
Zachary Schmidt, an active-duty Marine colonel who supervised Khalil's brother during a deployment to Afghanistan, expressed deep concern over Khalil's safety in the Central African Republic and the risk of him being returned to Afghanistan. Speaking in his personal capacity, Schmidt noted that he has seen threats made by Taliban militants against Khalil's family, stating, "It is my belief that if Khalil gets sent back to Afghanistan, that he will be killed."
