A new global network is quietly taking shape; its threads spun from the intricate and controversial agreements of the Trump administration. Under the radar, Washington has been forging an expansive web of deals with nations across multiple continents, creating a new pipeline for the mass deportation of undocumented migrants.
The latest pieces in this complex puzzle have fallen into place with Uganda and Honduras. According to CBS, Uganda has signed on to accept deported individuals, with the singular caveat that they have no criminal history.
The exact number of people in the East African nation would ultimately take remains shrouded in uncertainty. Meanwhile, Honduras has agreed to a two-year deal to receive migrants, including families, with the possibility of accepting even more in the future.
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This two-pronged approach is part of a much larger, global strategy. So far, at least a dozen nations have entered into similar arrangements, including some with contentious human rights records. Just last week, the US State Department heralded a “safe third country” agreement with Paraguay, framing it as a shared effort to “share the burden of managing illegal immigration.”
The administration’s reach has extended deep into the African continent, with Rwanda making headlines for its willingness to accept up to 250 migrants from the US. A government spokesperson for the East African nation revealed a key condition: Rwanda retains “the ability to approve each individual proposed for resettlement.”
This detail has raised concerns among human rights advocates, who have long criticized Rwanda’s human rights record and warned that migrants could face a risk of being deported again to dangerous countries.
Similar deals have already been struck closer to home. Earlier this year, both Panama and Costa Rica agreed to take in several hundred African and Asian migrants from the US. The Trump administration is also reportedly in talks with other nations, including Ecuador and Spain, to expand this far-reaching deportation architecture.
This global effort is the cornerstone of President Trump’s second-term agenda a fulfillment of his key election promises to dramatically increase the removal of undocumented migrants. The strategy was given a major boost in June when the US Supreme Court cleared the path for the administration to resume deportations to third countries without giving migrants the chance to argue the risks they might face.
The ruling drew sharp criticism from the bench itself, with Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissenting, calling the decision “a gross abuse.” The administration’s policy has also been condemned by UN rights experts and human rights groups, who argue that removing individuals to a country that is not their homeland could be a violation of international law.