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Rwanda has officially acknowledged that it is in discussions with the United States to receive migrants deported from American soil, marking a significant development in global migration policies. The revelation, made by Rwandan Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe on May 5, 2025, comes as the Trump administration intensifies efforts to relocate undocumented individuals and foreign nationals outside U.S. borders.
Speaking to Rwanda TV, Nduhungirehe confirmed that the negotiations are still in the early stages but align with Rwanda’s previous agreements to accept deported migrants from Western nations. “We are in discussions with the United States,” he stated. “It has not yet reached a stage where we can say exactly how things will proceed, but the talks are ongoing.”
The disclosure follows remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who last month indicated that Washington was actively seeking international partners to absorb deported individuals. Rubio described the effort as part of a broader strategy to remove “some of the most despicable human beings” from U.S. territory, adding that the administration prefers deportation destinations “as far away from America as possible.”
The potential agreement between Rwanda and the U.S. mirrors a controversial deal Rwanda previously struck with the United Kingdom in 2022. That arrangement, which aimed to relocate asylum seekers from Britain to Rwanda, faced intense legal challenges and was ultimately scrapped by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in 2024. Despite the failure of the UK deal, Rwanda has remained open to similar partnerships, positioning itself as a destination for migrants Western nations seek to remove.
Reports indicate that the U.S. is considering financial incentives for Rwanda to accept deported individuals, including those with criminal records who have completed their sentences in the U.S. The proposed framework would provide stipends and job assistance to deportees in an effort to discourage them from attempting to return to the U.S.
The Trump administration has faced mounting legal battles over its aggressive deportation policies, including efforts to send Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s high-security prison without due process. The Supreme Court recently blocked the administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to justify mass deportations, further complicating its immigration strategy.
Human rights organizations have expressed concerns about Rwanda’s role in accepting deported migrants, citing past allegations of forced returns and limited protections for asylum seekers. The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has warned that some migrants sent to Rwanda could be at risk of being returned to their countries of origin, a claim Kigali has denied.
As negotiations continue, the global community is closely watching whether Rwanda will finalize an agreement with the U.S. and what implications it may have for international migration policies. The deal could set a precedent for other nations considering similar arrangements, raising ethical and legal questions about the externalization of deportation practices.