Jamaican Man Deported by U.S. to Eswatini Repatriated
A Jamaican man, Orville Etoria, who was among five migrants deported by the United States to Eswatini in Africa, has been repatriated to his home country. Eswatini authorities confirmed the repatriation on Monday. The case has highlighted concerns over the U.S. third-country deportation program.
Etoria's Detention and Allegations of Unlawful Deportation
Orville Etoria was held in a maximum-security prison in Eswatini for over two months without charges or access to legal counsel. His lawyers allege the U.S. unlawfully deported him in mid-July under the Trump administration's third-country deportation program, despite Jamaica's willingness to accept him. The lawyers also claimed that Etoria and the other four men were repeatedly denied access to legal counsel during their imprisonment.
Etoria was repatriated on Sunday with the assistance of the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration, according to Thabile Mdluli, the Eswatini government’s acting spokesperson.
The U.S. Deportation Program and Criticisms
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described the five men deported to Eswatini as dangerous criminals. The DHS stated they were sent to Eswatini because their home countries refused to take them back. However, Eswatini contradicted this, stating the men were only in transit and would be sent home.
The U.S. has reportedly sent deportees to at least four African countries under this program: South Sudan, Eswatini, Rwanda, and Ghana. The third-country program has faced criticism from lawyers and human rights experts, who argue it results in sending migrants to countries with which they have no ties and where their legal rights may be jeopardized by repressive governments.
Legal Challenges and Other Deportation Cases
Two court cases have been filed in Eswatini against authorities concerning the men's detention. One case demands in-person access to lawyers, while another, brought by several nonprofit organizations, argues the detention is unconstitutional. Hearings for the first case have been repeatedly delayed.
In a similar case, the U.S. intends to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia to Eswatini. Abrego Garcia’s wrongful deportation to his native El Salvador and subsequent case have become a focal point in former U.S. President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration.
A Mexican man was repatriated this month after being detained in an unspecified location in South Sudan for two months. He was among several deportees held at a U.S. military base in Djibouti before being sent to South Sudan. Six other deportees are believed to remain in detention in South Sudan.
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