Sierra Leone Signs Controversial Migrant Deportation Deal with U.S.
Sierra Leone has agreed to accept West African migrants deported by the U.S. under a new Third Country National Agreement. The deal permits the return of 300 ECOWAS citizens annually. Similar arrangements with African countries have faced criticism over legal concerns and the treatment of deportees.
Sierra Leone has reached an agreement to accept hundreds of West African migrants deported by the United States, according to Foreign Minister Timothy Kabba. The proposed arrangement is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to expedite the deportation process.
The first group of migrants, known as third-country deportees, is set to arrive from Senegal, Ghana, Guinea, and Nigeria on a flight scheduled for May 20. Under the terms of the agreement, Sierra Leone will receive 300 ECOWAS citizens each year, with a limit of 25 per month.
Critics have raised concerns over the legality and ethical implications of these deportations, pointing to prior cases where deportees landed in countries that are not their own, despite receiving U.S. court protections. This latest bilateral move also follows tensions from 2017 when the U.S. imposed visa restrictions on Sierra Leonean officials over deportation issues.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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