Eswatini Denies Secretly Releasing US Deportees into South Africa

The government of Eswatini and South Africa's Border Management Authority have rejected allegations that third-country nationals deported from the United States are secretly entering South Africa via informal border crossings. The claims, which circulated on social media and in reports by Swaziland News, suggested that Eswatini was releasing individuals at night to avoid detection.

Eswatini officials clarified that three individuals from Yemen, Belize, and Laos recently departed the kingdom voluntarily for their home countries. Acting government spokesperson Thabile Mdluli stated that Eswatini has now facilitated the return of 10 third-country nationals under a bilateral agreement with Washington. This arrangement allows Eswatini to serve as a temporary transit point for people the United States cannot repatriate directly, with Eswatini accepting up to 160 individuals in exchange for $5.1 million in funding.

South Africa's Border Management Authority dismissed the reports of illegal entries, maintaining that land ports of entry are secured with strict surveillance to prevent human smuggling. Despite these denials, the agreement has raised regional security and immigration concerns in South Africa. Meanwhile, civil-society groups and lawyers continue to demand greater transparency regarding the total number of deportees remaining in Eswatini and the oversight of the bilateral deal.