UN experts call for halt to Trump policy of migrant deportations to third countries

GENEVA: A dozen United Nations human rights officials have penned a letter to the United States government, urging an immediate cessation of policies that they assert are endangering migrants by deporting them to third countries. Since the previous year, the Trump administration has engaged in numerous agreements with African governments to accommodate migrants who cannot be legally repatriated to their home nations.

Many of those transferred under these so-called third-country arrangements had previously been granted protection by US judges, who deemed their return to be fraught with potential abuses. The experts highlighted that at least 23,000 third-country nationals have been dispatched to 29 nations and territories thus far. Civil liberties organizations have expressed apprehension regarding the likelihood of mistreatment in certain countries, such as Equatorial Guinea, where police have been known to wield firearms against migrants, and the Central African Republic, which is currently receiving Iranian deportees.

The consequences of this US government initiative are no longer mere conjectures, according to the communication, as it is already triggering a chain of human rights violations. Particularly vulnerable populations, including children, women, individuals with disabilities, trafficking victims, LGBTQ+ persons, stateless persons, and other highly susceptible groups, are at the greatest risk, the statement emphasized, without citing specific instances.

The US diplomatic delegation in Geneva did not immediately furnish a response to a query. Washington has previously justified the third-country deals, asserting their legality and asserting that deportations are carried out in line with US immigration statutes. This month, the White House requested the US Supreme Court to permit the continuation of the policy following lower courts' rulings that it was unlawful.

The UN experts also forwarded their communication to the governments of 35 countries and territories that have entered into agreements with Washington to receive deported individuals. UN experts, appointed by the Human Rights Council based in Geneva, are mandated to monitor and document specific human rights crises while maintaining their independence from the organization itself.