Sign in Subscribe
Deportation

Uganda Strikes Deal with US to Accept Deported Asylum-Seekers

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Uganda's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that Kampala has agreed to a deal with the United States to accept deported asylum-seekers from the US. The agreement, which was confirmed by a US State Department statement, comes as part of President Donald Trump's efforts to remove migrants from the country. Rights groups and law experts have condemned Trump's plans, citing concerns over human rights and international law. Under the deal, Uganda will not accept individuals with criminal records or unaccompanied minors, and the country "prefers" that Africans be transferred as part of the agreement.

Key Takeaways:

  • Uganda has agreed to a "temporary arrangement" with the US to accept deported asylum-seekers, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  • The agreement does not specify a timeline for when the deportations will begin or end, but Uganda will not accept individuals with criminal records or unaccompanied minors.
  • Uganda "prefers" that Africans be transferred as part of the deal, according to the Ministry's statement.
  • The US has confirmed that Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have held discussions over the phone regarding "migration, reciprocal trade, and commercial ties".
  • Uganda is Africa's largest refugee host country, hosting over 1.7 million refugees, largely from neighbouring South Sudan, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  • Rights groups and law experts have condemned Trump's plans, citing concerns over human rights and international law.
  • Uganda may gain from the deal in terms of trade, with the US imposing tariffs on Ugandan goods, including 15 percent on coffee exports.
  • The US has sent deportees to other countries, including Eswatini, Rwanda, and South Sudan, often in exchange for lower tariffs or other concessions.

Statistics:

  • 1.7 million refugees hosted by Uganda, mostly from South Sudan, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  • 15 percent tariff imposed by the US on Ugandan goods, including coffee exports.
  • 300 migrants taken in by El Salvador, mainly from Venezuela, for a $6m fee.
  • 200 asylum seekers accepted by Costa Rica from Afghanistan, China, Ghana, India, and Vietnam.
  • 28 people still in detention in Costa Rica by June.

Sources:

  • "Uganda Agrees to Deal with US to Take In Deported Asylum-Seekers," Al Jazeera, August 21, 2025.
  • "Is Trump using Africa as a dumping ground for criminals?", Al Jazeera, July 25, 2025.
  • "Ugandan government faces backlash over deal to take in US deportees," The Associated Press, August 20, 2025.
  • "What has been the impact of Trump's tariffs so far?", Al Jazeera, July 31, 2025.

Read more