The Trump administration appears to be positioning Rwanda as the latest addition to a growing list of partner nations—including El Salvador, Mexico, and most recently, South Sudan—willing to accept deportees as part of its intensified migration crackdown.
The US appears to be adopting a version of the UK’s previously discarded plan to deport asylum-seekers to certain countries.
San Diego-based immigration lawyer, Jacob Sapochnick notes that space in U.S. detention centers is not only running out but also driving up costs as per Bloomberg.
In response, the State Department is seeking to establish “transfer agreements” with more countries to alleviate the strain on domestic facilities.
UK’s botched Rwanda deportation scheme
The UK’s “Rwanda scheme,” introduced by the Conservative government in 2022, was met with controversy and ultimately scrapped by new Prime Minister Keir Starmer shortly after taking office, with him labeling it a “gimmick” that was ineffective.
Despite spending approximately £715 million—including £290 million paid directly to Rwanda, £50 million on flights that never took off, and £95 million on detention centers—The plan had only resulted in a few voluntary removals.
In 2024, the newly elected Labour government terminated the scheme, labeling it a costly failure. Rwanda has since demanded an additional £50 million, claiming unmet obligations. Around 280 contractors were laid off as operations wound down.
US moves to adopt similar template
The US now seems to be following a similar approach, looking to partner with Rwanda to accept deportees.
Bloomberg reports that the U.S. administration appears to have already tested Rwanda as a deportation destination.
Earlier this year, reports emerged that the U.S. deported an Iraqi national, Omar Abdulsattar Ameen, to Rwanda, paying $100,000 to cover relocation costs. Ameen has long been a controversial figure, having drawn attention since the Trump administration’s earlier attempt to extradite him to Iraq.
Despite these developments, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has not been briefed on any formal U.S.-Rwanda agreement.
UNHCR spokeswoman Kathryn Mahoney stated that while no proposal has been presented, “any transfer arrangement should ensure access to asylum and due process.”
According to Bloomberg, Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe revealed earlier this month that the country is “in talks with the United States about a deal on migration.” While a State Department spokesperson declined to confirm the discussions, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has publicly stated that the U.S. is “actively searching for other countries to take people”—preferably, he added, “the further away from America, the better, so they can’t come back across the border.”
