Burundi Agrees to Accept Third-Country US Deportees
Burundi will accept migrants deported from the United States regardless of prior connection to the country, provided they have no links to terrorism.
The Government of Burundi has agreed to accept third-country deportees from the United States as part of an immigration policy led by President Donald Trump. Under the agreement, the U.S. may send migrants to Burundi even if the individuals have no previous connection to the nation.
Nancy Ninette Mutoni, spokesperson for President Evariste Ndayishimiye, stated that Burundi will only accept individuals who are not facing prosecution and have no links to terrorism. While the government is planning for accommodation and community integration, officials have not disclosed the number of deportees, the timing of arrivals, or the financial arrangements involved.
The program faces immediate legal hurdles. A U.S. appeals court recently ruled that deportees must have a meaningful opportunity to raise concerns regarding potential torture or persecution. This ruling reportedly led to the cancellation of a flight from Louisiana that was carrying approximately 70 people destined for Burundi, Rwanda, and the Central African Republic. The Trump administration continues to defend the policy as a necessary measure for cases where a deportee's home country refuses repatriation.
