A deportation flight carrying immigrants from several nations, including Eswatini, landed in the Southern African country this week.
Five Eswatini immigrants deported by US
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said these individuals were removed because their home countries initially refused to take them back.
According to DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, the Eswatini nationals were part of a group so “uniquely barbaric” that even their own countries hesitated to repatriate them.
McLaughlin’s statement, shared on social media, read:
“These depraved monsters have been terrorizing American communities… They are now off of American soil.”
This language comes across as extreme and controversial, especially considering recent diplomatic efforts between the United States and Eswatini.
Just two weeks before the deportation, Eswatini Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini had met with senior US officials to discuss stronger cooperation in areas like trade, agriculture, health, and technology.
Those talks took place during the US-Africa Business Summit in Luanda, Angola.
Key US figures involved included Ambassador Troy Fitrell and Massad Boulos, Senior Advisor to former US President Donald Trump, as well as Assistant US Trade Representative for Africa, Constance Hamilton.
The meetings aimed to build mutual investment opportunities, with both parties identifying sectors such as energy, mining, and digital infrastructure as potential growth points.
The Eswatini government also sought US assistance in reducing high youth HIV infection rates through the existing PEPFAR programme. US officials reaffirmed their continued support.
However, this new deportation and the language used by the DHS seem to contradict the spirit of those engagements. It is not clear how the Eswatini government will respond to the DHS statement, which has drawn attention not only for its content but also for its tone.
The deportation follows a recent US Supreme Court decision that backs the Trump administration’s push to intensify removals of migrants.
Under the ruling, migrants can be deported to countries that are not necessarily their own, and they do not have to be given a chance to explain any dangers they might face upon return.
The US maintains diplomatic recognition of Taiwan, which is also a major point of shared interest between the US and Eswatini.
Despite that, this deportation and its framing may test the resilience of the two countries’ diplomatic ties in the weeks ahead.
