The United States and Rwanda have reached an agreement that will see the East African nation accept up to 250 migrants deported from the U.S., as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to expand third-country deportations.
The deal, signed in June in Kigali, was confirmed by a Rwandan government official and spokesperson, Yolande Makolo, who said Rwanda agreed to the arrangement in line with its national values of rehabilitation and reintegration, shaped by its history of displacement.
“Rwanda has agreed with the United States to accept up to 250 migrants, in part because nearly every Rwandan family has experienced the hardships of displacement,” Makolo said. “Those approved for relocation will be offered workforce training, healthcare, and housing support to help rebuild their lives in Rwanda and contribute to our fast-growing economy.”
The agreement allows Rwanda to vet each proposed for resettlement. Washington has already submitted an initial list of 10 people for review. Only individuals who have completed their sentences or have no pending criminal cases will be accepted, and Kigali will not take in anyone convicted of child sexual offenses. Rwanda has also insisted there is no provision for deportees to serve out their U.S. prison sentences on Rwandan soil.
In return, the U.S. will provide Rwanda with a grant to support the resettlement process. Although the value of the grant has not been disclosed, sources confirm that the agreement includes the option to extend the number of deportees by mutual consent. Deportees are also not required to remain in Rwanda permanently and may choose to leave the country at any time.
The White House and U.S. State Department have not commented on the deal, while the Department of Homeland Security referred media inquiries to the State Department.
This latest agreement reflects the Trump administration’s push to increase deportations of undocumented immigrants, including individuals with criminal records, to third countries. The U.S. has previously deported Venezuelan nationals to El Salvador and pressed other nations to accept individuals deemed difficult to repatriate directly.
Rwanda has positioned itself as a willing partner for Western countries seeking relocation arrangements for migrants and asylum seekers. In 2022, it signed a controversial deal with the United Kingdom to host asylum seekers, although the plan was ultimately cancelled by new Prime Minister Keir Starmer in 2024 following years of legal battles.
While President Paul Kagame’s administration has won international praise for Rwanda’s post-genocide economic transformation, human rights groups have raised concerns over political repression and the country’s role in regional conflicts, particularly in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Still, Rwanda continues to play a growing role in international diplomacy. In June, it signed a U.S.-brokered peace deal with the DRC in Washington aimed at ending violence in the region, further solidifying Kigali’s position as a strategic partner for the West.
The legality of deporting migrants to third countries remains contentious in the U.S. In June, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration’s policy, allowing deportations without the opportunity for migrants to argue they face potential harm. However, a federal lawsuit challenging the practice is currently pending in Boston and could return to the Supreme Court.
