The Democratic Republic of Congo will begin accepting migrants deported from the United States who are not Congolese nationals, officials confirmed this week. The agreement took effect this month, with Congolese authorities saying preparations are already underway, reports the BBC. It comes as President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown across the US continues.
A temporary reception system has been established, and facilities in the capital, Kinshasa, have been selected to house arrivals. In a statement, the Ministry of Communication said the United States will provide “logistical and technical support,” while the Congolese government “would bear no financial cost for the scheme.” Officials did not specify how many deportees would be accepted.
The move places DR Congo alongside other countries, including Eswatini, Ghana, South Sudan, and Uganda, that have received migrants deported by the US despite those individuals not being citizens of the receiving nations. Last week, eight people from different African countries were deported to Uganda.
US officials have not publicly detailed the arrangement. The State Department said it does not comment on “diplomatic communications with other governments,” but added that it remains “unwavering” in its “commitment to end illegal and mass immigration and bolster America's border security.”
The Congolese government said the decision aligns with its stated commitments to “human dignity, international solidarity and to protect the rights of migrants.” Authorities also emphasized the program is not a “permanent relocation mechanism or an outsourcing of migration policies.”
A temporary reception system has been established, and facilities in the capital, Kinshasa, have been selected to house arrivals. In a statement, the Ministry of Communication said the United States will provide “logistical and technical support,” while the Congolese government “would bear no financial cost for the scheme.” Officials did not specify how many deportees would be accepted.
The move places DR Congo alongside other countries, including Eswatini, Ghana, South Sudan, and Uganda, that have received migrants deported by the US despite those individuals not being citizens of the receiving nations. Last week, eight people from different African countries were deported to Uganda.
US officials have not publicly detailed the arrangement. The State Department said it does not comment on “diplomatic communications with other governments,” but added that it remains “unwavering” in its “commitment to end illegal and mass immigration and bolster America's border security.”
The Congolese government said the decision aligns with its stated commitments to “human dignity, international solidarity and to protect the rights of migrants.” Authorities also emphasized the program is not a “permanent relocation mechanism or an outsourcing of migration policies.”
