Eswatini has repatriated 10 individuals deported from the US, likely through South Africa, raising concerns over the use of informal border crossings. The 10 deportees are part of 31 people sent to Eswatini from the US since 2025. Eswatini government acting spokesperson Thabile Mdluli stated that the country would not disclose the countries of transit for future repatriations. The repatriation process involves cooperation with international and national stakeholders to ensure an orderly, safe, and dignified process.
The Eswatini government responded to media reports, expressing concern over misleading information that could cause unnecessary apprehension and anxiety among neighboring countries. The government stated that it had repatriated ten "Third Country Nationals" (TCNs) between September 2025 and October 2026 to their countries of origin. The repatriations were conducted without incident, and none of the repatriated TCNs posed a threat or caused harm to members of the public. The government emphasized its commitment to following applicable laws and statutes governing legal migration.
The South African Border Management Authority (BMA) dismissed claims that deportees were entering South Africa through informal border crossings. The BMA stated that South Africa's land ports of entry with Eswatini are secured, with access control measures implemented at designated entry and exit points. Any person in transit through South African airports goes through international transfers without entering the Republic, and attempts to circumvent formal Ports of Entry are subject to detection and enforcement action.
Mdluli revealed that another 21 TCNs were still in Eswatini awaiting repatriation. She attributed the delay to the complexity of the repatriation process, including engagements with the receiving state and transit arrangements. The US government has been taking care of the costs of welfare, repatriation, and other related costs for the deportees. Mdluli noted that the arrangement with the US government was for Eswatini to temporarily host the TCNs and facilitate their onward repatriation to their respective countries of origin.
In August 2025, US Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated that the first five deportees to Eswatini had criminal records, including convictions for murder, homicide, and child rape. Mdluli confirmed that not all 31 TCNs had criminal records but could not provide details. The Eswatini Litigation Centre, the Swaziland Rural Women's Assembly, and the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (Salc) filed an urgent application in the High Court of Eswatini, seeking an order declaring the secretive pact between Eswatini and the US on the deportees unconstitutional.
The application argued that the terms of the high-level agreement had been concealed and implemented without public participation and parliamentary ratification, violating provisions such as section 238 of the Eswatini Constitution. The organisations stated that powerful nations like the US increasingly outsource contentious policies, such as third-country deportations, to less powerful states through opaque arrangements that exploit economic vulnerabilities and bypass democratic safeguards.
Amnesty International's Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Flavia Mwangovya, expressed concerns over the serious human rights consequences of these transfers, including arbitrary detention, restrictions on access to lawyers, denial of due process, and the risk of onward refoulement. The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) stated that it was "deeply concerned" about the profiles of the five deportees and the potential adverse impact on South Africa's national security and immigration policy.
Key points
- Eswatini has repatriated 10 of 31 US deportees, likely through South Africa.
- The repatriation process involves cooperation with international and national stakeholders.
- Concerns have been raised over the use of informal border crossings and human rights consequences.
