Uganda Agrees to Temporarily Host U.S. Deportees Under New Deal

Uganda has reached an agreement with the United States to temporarily accommodate individuals who may not qualify for asylum in the U.S. This arrangement is part of a broader initiative by the Trump administration to increase the deportation of immigrants who entered the country illegally.

According to Vincent Bagiire Waiswa, the permanent secretary of Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the agreement includes specific conditions. “Individuals with criminal records and unaccompanied minors will not be accepted,” Waiswa stated in a press release on Thursday. This measure aims to ensure that the arrangement is both manageable and in line with Uganda’s capacity to provide support.

The details of how the agreement will be implemented are still under discussion. Waiswa emphasized that Uganda prefers to receive individuals from African nationalities under this new pact. He noted the ongoing collaboration between Ugandan and U.S. officials to finalize the modalities of the arrangement.

Concerns regarding Uganda’s capacity to host deported individuals were raised earlier this week. Another official from Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied a report by U.S. media, asserting that the country lacks the necessary facilities to accommodate a large influx of individuals being deported from the United States.

Despite these concerns, Uganda has established itself as a key ally of the United States in East Africa. The country currently hosts nearly two million refugees and asylum-seekers from various nations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Sudan. This ongoing commitment to support displaced individuals highlights Uganda’s long-standing history of refugee assistance, even as it navigates the complexities of this new agreement with the U.S.

As the situation evolves, both countries are working to ensure that the arrangement allows for a humanitarian response while addressing immigration challenges. The involvement of Uganda in this agreement reflects the broader dynamics of international cooperation on migration and asylum issues.