The Trump administration has announced a plan to deport Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadoran national, to Eswatini, changing a previous decision to send him to Uganda after he expressed concerns about potential persecution there. An immigration officer noted that while they found Ábrego García’s claims “hard to take seriously,” they agreed not to proceed with the Uganda deportation.
Ábrego García’s case has been characterized by multiple proposed deportation destinations; he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March and subsequently returned to the U.S. to face criminal charges. Officials admitted the initial removal was an error. In June, he returned to the U.S., where he was detained and charged with human smuggling, a charge he has pleaded not guilty to. Officials from the Trump administration have alleged his involvement with the MS-13 gang, an accusation he denies.
At present, he reportedly has no connections to Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland. The nation is bordered by South Africa and Mozambique and operates as an absolute monarchy under King Mswati III, who has ruled since 1986. The U.S. has already deported five individuals to Eswatini, labeling them “criminal illegal aliens,” which has raised concerns in the small country about becoming a destination for unwanted individuals.
Eswatini has yet to confirm whether it receives compensation in conjunction with the deportation agreement with the Trump administration. The U.S. also plays a significant economic role for Eswatini, being the fourth-largest market for its primary export, sugar, which may indicate that the country is aiming to maintain its trading relationships and avoid potential tariffs.
Kilmar Ábrego García has been in the U.S. since entering illegally as a teenager from El Salvador. In 2019, he was arrested in Maryland alongside three others by federal immigration authorities.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0r3nx4rd7o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss