Nine migrants deported from the United States arrived in Sierra Leone on Wednesday as part of a controversial third-country deportation agreement between the two nations. According to Sierra Leone’s ministry of information, the deportees include five migrants from Ghana, two from Guinea, one from Senegal and one from Nigeria.
Officials said the migrants “have been checked into their hosting facilities, are comfortable and receiving the necessary support.” While authorities initially expected 24 deportees, only nine ultimately arrived. Immigration lawyer Alma David suggested that several deportations may have been halted shortly before the flight departed from the United States.
Sierra Leone Foreign Minister Timothy Kabba confirmed that the government agreed to temporarily receive deportees from the Trump administration, but only those from West African countries. He said the arrangement is backed by a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. government.
The government also revealed that a private contractor, Kenvah Solutions, has been hired to provide housing, food and healthcare for the deportees during their temporary stay. Officials stated that deportees are expected to either return to their home countries or be transferred elsewhere within 14 days, with stays extending to 30 days only in exceptional cases.
Growing Concerns Over US Deportation Deals
The Sierra Leone arrangement is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to secure agreements with foreign governments willing to accept deportees from third countries. The United States has reportedly reached similar deals with at least eight African nations, including Congo, Equatorial Guinea, South Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Eswatini, Ghana and Cameroon.
Some of these countries have faced criticism for poor human rights conditions and repressive governments. Rights advocates and immigration lawyers have questioned whether deportees’ rights are being respected and whether vulnerable migrants are being sent to countries with inadequate protections.
The Sierra Leone program reportedly limits deportations to 25 people per month and 300 annually, though officials did not disclose how long the agreement will remain active. Details of many similar agreements between the U.S. and foreign governments have not been publicly released.
Legal Challenges Continue
The deportation agreements have already triggered legal disputes in the United States. Last week, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to return a Colombian woman to the U.S. after she was deported to Congo despite the country allegedly refusing to accept responsibility for her medical care.
Similar agreements have also been signed with Latin American countries including Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Honduras, further expanding the administration’s effort to relocate deportees outside their countries of origin.
