Controversial US Deportation Flights: Eswatini's Secretive Deals Under Scrutiny

A deportation flight organized by the United States landed in Eswatini, carrying Southeast Asian migrants, marking the ongoing use of America's controversial third-country deportation strategy. These flights, part of secretive agreements made during the Trump administration, have faced significant criticism.

Eswatini has received previous deportees from various nations, including Cuba and Yemen. Currently, an Eswatini prison holds four deportees who were reportedly detained without charge for months. Two Vietnamese nationals, on the latest flight, were tracked by US-based lawyer Tin Thanh Nguyen, who seeks legal representation for them.

Rights groups have questioned the legitimacy of these deportation actions, noting potential payoffs, like the $5.1 million agreement with Eswatini. They argue that deportees are sent to countries where legal due process is compromised, worsening their plight post-deportation.

(With inputs from agencies.)