9 deportees from US arrive in Sierra Leone under third-country agreement

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Nine migrants deported from the United States landed in Sierra Leone early Wednesday, the West African country's ministry of information said.

It was the latest example of the Trump administration using agreements with African countries to accelerate migrant removals that have raised questions about respect for the migrants’ rights.

The nine arrived at Sierra Leone's international airport near the capital Freetown on Wednesday. Five are from Ghana, two from Guinea, one from Senegal and one from Nigeria, according to the ministry of information's statement.

“All have been checked into their hosting facilities, are comfortable, and receiving the necessary support,” the statement read.

The ministry said 24 deportees were initially “expected” but didn't provide details as to why only nine arrived on Wednesday.

Alma David, an immigration lawyer with the U.S.-based Novo Legal Group who has helped deportees, said the lower number might be explained by the fact that several deportations were halted shortly before the flight left the United States.

According to court documents seen by The Associated Press, a federal judge halted a woman's deportation to Sierra Leone after the government failed to let her seek protection under the Convention Against Torture, as required by law.

Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister Timothy Kabba told local media Wednesday the government has agreed to temporarily receive migrants deported by the Trump administration, saying it only accepts West African nationals and that the agreement is supported by a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. government.

The U.S. has struck such third-country deportation deals with at least eight other African nations, many of them among countries hit hardest by the Trump administration’s policies restricting trade, aid and migration. The other African nations known to sign deals are Congo, Equatorial Guinea, South Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Eswatini, Ghana and Cameroon.

The Trump administration has spent at least $40 million to deport more than 300 migrants to countries other than their own, according to a report released in February by the Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Lawyers and activists have raised questions over the nature of the deals with countries in Africa and elsewhere.

Last week, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to bring a Colombian woman back to the U.S. from Congo, after she was deported to the African nation even though it had refused to accept her because it could not care for her medical needs.

Several of the African nations that have signed such deals have notoriously repressive governments and poor human rights records — including Eswatini, South Sudan and Equatorial Guinea.

Some have received millions of dollars in return, according to documents released by the State Department. Details of most other agreements have not been made public.

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Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal