Rwanda has acknowledged it is in the early phases of negotiations with the United States regarding the possible transfer of migrants deported from U.S. territory, according to Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe.
Speaking to the national broadcaster Rwanda TV on Sunday evening, Nduhungirehe noted that while conversations are ongoing, no formal framework has been finalized.
“We are in discussions with the United States,” he said. “It has not yet reached a stage where we can say exactly how things will proceed, but the talks are ongoing.”
This initiative reflects Rwanda’s recent pattern of engagement with Western countries seeking to relocate migrants. In 2022, Kigali entered a controversial deal with the United Kingdom to receive thousands of asylum seekers. That agreement was later cancelled by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in 2023 following his election victory.
Human rights organisations have voiced persistent concerns over such arrangements, raising alarm over Rwanda’s treatment of political opponents, press freedom, and conditions for migrants. Critics argue that relocated individuals could face unsafe conditions or even risk being returned to countries they had fled.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has echoed these concerns, warning that some deportees might ultimately be forced back to their countries of origin. The Rwandan government has strongly rejected these claims, accusing the UN agency of distorting facts.
The ongoing dialogue with Washington comes amid a broader immigration crackdown led by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who returned to office in January. His administration has intensified efforts to remove individuals without legal status and to suspend elements of the country’s refugee resettlement programme.
One high-profile case last month involved the deportation of a refugee originally from Iraq, who had been resettled in the U.S. but later became the subject of legal disputes. According to a U.S. official and internal correspondence, the individual was sent to Rwanda after prolonged efforts to process his removal.
In a separate legal development, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a deportation order targeting a group of Venezuelan migrants accused of being linked to criminal networks. The move came after the administration attempted to invoke an emergency statute to fast-track their removal.
As discussions between Rwanda and the U.S. continue, the proposal remains under scrutiny both domestically and internationally, with questions lingering over transparency, legal safeguards, and long-term implications for deportees. Rwanda’s emerging role in the global migration landscape continues to attract close attention across policy and rights circles.