Uganda agrees to take deported US migrants under strict conditions

Uganda says it has agreed a deal with the United States to take in deported migrants, on condition that they don’t have criminal records.

Kampala said it would also refuse unaccompanied minors and had expressed a preference for people with African nationalities.  

In a statement, Uganda’s ministry of foreign affairs said the two parties are still working out the details but confirmed that the deal had been ‘concluded.’ 

The agreement was first reported by CBS News, which said Washington had reached a similar deal with Honduras. 

Last month, 13 men described as dangerous criminals were deported to Eswatini and South Sudan. Rwanda has reportedly agreed to accept 250 migrants from the US. 

Since returning to office in January, US President Donald Trump has cracked down on undocumented migrants – a key campaign promise that drew strong support.  

In June, the US Supreme Court gave the green light to efforts to deport migrants to countries other than their homeland. Human rights groups have said that the removals could violate international law.  

Uganda already hosts around two million asylum seekers from neighbouring countries including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan and South Sudan.