KINSHASA, Congo (AP) 鈥� Around 15 people deported from the United States landed in Congo鈥檚 capital Kinshasa early Friday, one of their lawyers told The Associated Press.
It was the latest example of the Trump administration using agreements with African countries to accelerate migrant removals that have raised questions about respect for the migrants’ rights.
An official at the Congolese migration agency confirmed the arrivals but didn鈥檛 provide details.
The deportees are all from Latin America and the Congolese government plans to keep them in the country for a short period, said U.S. attorney Alma David, who represents one of the deportees. She has been speaking with her client since arriving in Kinshasa.
All the deportees are believed to have legal protection from U.S. judges shielding them against being returned to their home countries, David said. The deportees are believed to be staying at a hotel in Kinshasa.
The International Organization for Migration, a United Nations-affiliated agency, will be involved to offer 鈥渁ssisted voluntary return,鈥� David told AP.
鈥淭he fact that the focus is on offering them 鈥榲oluntary鈥� return to their home country when they spent months in immigration detention in the U.S. fighting hard to not have to go home is very alarming,鈥� she said.
An IOM spokesperson said the organization was providing humanitarian assistance to the deportees at the request of the Congolese government. It said it may also offer assisted voluntary return, which is 鈥渟trictly voluntary and based on free, prior and informed consent.鈥�
Congo’s Ministry of Communications said in a statement earlier this month that it under the Trump administration鈥檚 third-country program.
It described the arrangement as a 鈥渢emporary鈥� one that reflects Congo鈥檚 鈥渃ommitment to human dignity and international solidarity.鈥� It would come with zero costs to the government with the U.S. covering the needed logistics, it said.
The statement said no automatic transfer of the deportees is planned, adding: 鈥淓ach situation will be subject to individual review in accordance with the laws of the Republic and national security requirements.鈥�
The U.S. has struck such third-country deportation deals with at least seven other African nations, many of them among countries hit hardest by the Trump administration鈥檚 policies restricting trade, aid and migration.
The Trump administration has spent at least $40 million to deport about 300 migrants to countries other than their own, according to a report released recently by the Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Lawyers and activists have raised questions over the nature of the deals with countries in Africa and elsewhere. Several of the African nations that have signed such deals have notoriously repressive governments and poor human rights records 鈥� including Eswatini, South Sudan and Equatorial Guinea.
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This story has been corrected to show that Alma David is one of several lawyers representing the deportees.
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Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal. Associated Press writer Saleh Mwanamilongo in Bonn, Germany contributed to this report.
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