US Deports Migrants to Uganda Under Third-Country Agreement

The United States deported a group of individuals of African origin to Uganda on Wednesday, marking the first transfer under a Safe Third Country Agreement signed in August 2025. While the Ugandan foreign ministry reports eight arrivals, the Uganda Law Society claims 12 people landed at Entebbe International Airport via a private charter flight. The agreement allows the U.S. to remove migrants who cannot return to their home countries, specifically targeting those without criminal records.

This operation is part of a broader strategy by the administration of President Donald Trump to accelerate the removal of undocumented migrants. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has ordered more than 13,000 asylum seekers for deportation to safe third countries, including Ecuador and Honduras, although fewer than 100 have been moved due to aircraft limitations. Similar deals have been established with other African nations such as Ghana, Eswatini, and Rwanda.

The Uganda Law Society and the East Africa Law Society have filed lawsuits in regional courts to halt these transfers. They characterize the process as an "international illegality" and an "undignified, harrowing and dehumanising process," alleging that the Ugandan Parliament and immigration authorities were not engaged in the deal. The U.S. Embassy in Kampala maintains that all transfers occur in full cooperation with the Government of Uganda.