A group of seven immigrants have been deported from the United States to Rwanda, marking the beginning of an agreement made with President Donald Trump’s administration, which plans to send 250 people to the African nation.
“The first group of seven migrants, properly vetted, arrived in Rwanda in mid-August,” stated Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo. While she did not specify the immigrants’ nationalities, she mentioned that four would choose to stay in Rwanda while three would return to their home countries, as reported by BBC News.
Human rights organizations have voiced their concerns, emphasizing that such deportations by ICE could violate international law if individuals are sent to countries where they face risks of torture or other fundamental rights violations.
Despite these criticisms, Ms. Makolo assured that “whatever their specific need, all these individuals will receive appropriate support and protection from the Rwandan government,” according to the pro-government newspaper New Times. The immigrants are being housed by “an international organization” and will be monitored by both the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Rwandan social services. An IOM spokesperson confirmed to AFP that they had met with the immigrants to assess their basic needs, without providing further details.
Rwanda, a country that experienced genocide in the 1990s, has committed to accepting immigrants despite criticism of its human rights record. In early August, Yolande Makolo explained to the BBC that “almost all Rwandan families have experienced the challenges of displacement,” thus justifying the implementation of the immigration agreement.
This new reception policy aligns with Rwanda’s humanitarian initiatives established over recent years. Between September 2019 and April 2025, nearly 3,000 refugees and asylum seekers stranded in Libya were evacuated to Rwanda, according to the UN, with many later resettled in other countries, as reported by BBC News.
Rwanda had also entered into an agreement with the United Kingdom in 2022 to accept immigrants seeking asylum, but the British government canceled it in July 2024 after Sir Keir Starmer took office, citing numerous legal obstacles. The UK had invested £240 million in this program, including housing construction for immigrants, whose current status remains uncertain.
Additionally, in June 2025, the Trump administration oversaw the signing of a peace agreement in Washington between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, aiming to end three decades of regional instability. Rwanda had been accused of supporting the M23 rebel group in eastern DRC, an allegation it has consistently denied.
The arrival of these first immigrants in Rwanda opens a new chapter in American immigration policy, raising questions about the international legality of these ICE deportations and Kigali’s ability to ensure protection and security for those choosing to settle there.
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Source: BBC News.
