Sierra Leone on Wednesday, May 20, became the latest African nation to accept migrants expelled from the United States under President Donald Trump's intensified immigration enforcement. A first aircraft carrying nine West African migrants touched down at the international airport near Freetown in the morning, as witnessed by an AFP journalist.
Details of the Deportation Flight
Foreign Minister Timothy Musa Kabba confirmed to AFP that nine deportees arrived from the US, revising an earlier estimate of 25. The individuals hailed from Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea, and Senegal, according to authorities. Upon arrival, police officers, medical personnel, and government officials were present to receive them.
Condition of Deportees
Seven men and two women, with heads bowed, were seen boarding a minibus outside the airport under police escort. Doris Bah, a health ministry official at the scene, described all deportees as traumatized due to months spent in chains during detention in the US. She added that most expressed a desire to return to their home countries. Some were arrested on the streets or at their workplaces, while one was taken into custody while playing football in the US.
Accommodation and Repatriation Plans
The deportees will be housed in a hotel and are expected to return to their countries of origin within two weeks at the latest, Bah stated. The authorities in Freetown have agreed to accept up to 300 individuals per year expelled by the United States, but only from member states of the West African economic bloc ECOWAS.
Legal Status and Support
Foreign Minister Kabba explained that Sierra Leone accepted these deportees because they are from West Africa and some hold Sierra Leonean residence permits obtained years ago. They have the right to stay in the country for 90 days and can then return to their home countries. The United States is providing $1.5 million to support the program, covering humanitarian and operational costs, according to a foreign ministry document. Freetown has not disclosed whether additional concessions were agreed upon.
US Policy and Broader Context
A US State Department spokesperson stated that removing migrants from US territory is a top priority, without explaining why Sierra Leone was selected or what incentives were offered. Sierra Leone joins other African nations—including Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda, and South Sudan—that have received deportees from the US in exchange for financial and logistical support. Some countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, have even accepted migrants from other continents, including Latin America.
Human Rights Concerns
Human Rights Watch has urged African nations to reject such arrangements, arguing in September that the opaque deals violate international human rights law. The organization continues to criticize the US policy approach.
