Uganda receives eight migrants from U.S. under third-country asylum deal

Uganda has received eight individuals of African origin from the United States under a bilateral agreement to process asylum claims, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.

The transfers follow a July 2025 deal between Uganda and the United States that allows Kampala to “examine protection requests” from third-country nationals, individuals who are neither Ugandan nor American and who may not qualify for asylum in the United States.

The group arrived on April 1 after their cases were reviewed and approved by a U.S. immigration judge, the ministry said in a statement. Their identities were not disclosed for “privacy reasons.”

Uganda said the agreement complies with its domestic laws and international obligations, including the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to countries where they may face torture or inhuman or degrading treatment.

Officials described Uganda as a “safe third country” under the arrangement and said the government had accepted Washington’s proposal to cooperate in handling such cases.

“Their protection requests will be handled,” the ministry said, adding that the individuals had expressed reluctance or concerns about returning to their countries of origin. However, the Uganda Law Society condemned the policy, describing it as “dehumanising.”

Since Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025, his administration has implemented a series of policies aimed at boosting its crackdown on asylum seekers. Central to this approach is the use of so-called “third countries.”

Under this policy, individuals who arrive in the United States seeking protection are no longer guaranteed the ability to pursue their asylum claims within U.S. territory. Instead, they may be transferred to another country, often one with which they have no prior connection, or required to seek asylum there. This marks a significant shift from traditional asylum practices, effectively transforming the U.S. system into one that relies on external partners to handle refugee protection responsibilities.

The policy developed rapidly after the administration resumed power, building on earlier restrictive immigration measures that many experts have criticized as anti-immigration and driven by xenophobia.

These measures were followed by the negotiation of bilateral agreements with countries willing to receive deported migrants or process asylum claims. At the same time, immigration enforcement agencies and courts were directed to accelerate removals, including dismissing pending asylum cases and redirecting applicants to third-country destinations.

At its core, the strategy relies on formal and informal agreements that allow the United States to transfer migrants to third countries, regardless of whether they transited through those nations. Legal mechanisms have been adjusted to facilitate these transfers, including directing immigration judges to terminate asylum proceedings and issue removal orders to designated partner states.

African countries have become central to this system, forming a network of receiving states. Nations such as Rwanda, Ghana, Eswatini, and South Sudan have been identified as key participants. Additional countries, including Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, have reportedly engaged in similar arrangements, while others such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo are said to be in discussions.

These partnerships often involve financial or diplomatic incentives, positioning African states as pivotal actors in the broader migration management framework. In practice, the system operates by intercepting asylum seekers within the United States and redirecting them to designated third countries. There, they may face detention, uncertain legal status, or limited access to protection mechanisms.

Critics argue that the policy raises serious legal and humanitarian concerns, particularly regarding compliance with international refugee obligations and the risk of exposing migrants to unsafe conditions.