The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) announced this Sunday that it will receive migrants deported from the United States under a new agreement within the Trump administration's third-country program. According to the Congolese Ministry of Communications, the transfers will begin this April. The agreement has been described as “temporary” and aims to ensure that each case is reviewed individually in accordance with local laws and national security. Logistics and costs will be covered by the United States, the ministry clarified in its statement published in X. Control and placement of deportees: The migrants will be housed in facilities located in the city-province of Kinshasa, where administrative, security, and humanitarian monitoring will be ensured. The DRC government assured that there will be no automatic transfers and that it will have full control over admission, conditions of stay, and possible returns. “Each situation will be subject to individual review in accordance with the laws of the Republic and national security requirements,” the ministry emphasized. Agreements with other African countries: The United States has signed similar agreements with at least seven African countries, including Eswatini, South Sudan, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, Ghana, and Uganda. Human rights organizations have criticized these agreements, noting that they expose migrants to arbitrary detention, ill-treatment, and possible forced returns to nations where they could face persecution. A February report by the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee indicated that the Trump administration spent $40 million deporting 300 migrants to third countries over the past year. Political and Military Context in the DRC: The pact between Washington and Kinshasa coincides with bilateral efforts to reduce conflict in the eastern provinces of Congo between the army and the Rwandan-backed March 23 Movement (M23). Since 1998,Eastern DRC faces constant fighting between rebel militias and military forces, despite the presence of the UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO.

Reactivation of Express Deportations

The resumption of deportation flights to third countries was activated after authorization from the Supreme Court last June, allowing the Trump administration to continue its hardline immigration policy. Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has pushed for rapid deportations and signed agreements with several countries for this purpose.