Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free
Your guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the world
The US government has been pressuring African countries to accept Venezuelan deportees, even those who have recently been released from prison, according to Nigeria’s foreign minister, Yusuf Tuggar. Tuggar stated that the Trump administration has been exerting significant pressure on countries to accept these deportees, but he expressed concerns about Nigeria’s ability to accommodate them.
Tuggar emphasized, “The US is mounting considerable pressure on African countries to accept Venezuelans to be deported from the US, some straight out of prison. It would be difficult for a country like Nigeria to accept Venezuelan prisoners into Nigeria. We have enough problems of our own for crying out loud.”
While Tuggar did not specify which countries have been targeted by the US for accepting deportees, President Trump recently hosted five African leaders at the White House to discuss trade and investment opportunities. During the meeting, Trump mentioned his desire to make progress on establishing “safe, third-country agreements” for deported migrants.
However, Liberia’s foreign minister stated that his country has not engaged in any discussions with the US regarding accepting deportees or criminals. The Trump administration has been actively cracking down on immigration since taking office and has pledged to carry out the largest mass deportation of undocumented migrants in US history.
In a recent ruling, the US Supreme Court cleared the way for the government to deport migrants to “third countries” that are willing to accept them, rather than sending them back to their home countries. Venezuela, under the leadership of Nicolás Maduro, has had a strained relationship with the US and has previously refused to accept the forced return of its citizens.
Experts in migration note that some countries may resist accepting their deported citizens from the US as it could be seen as a sign of submission to Washington. This week, eight US deportees arrived in South Sudan, with only one being a citizen of the country, while the others are reportedly from Asia and Latin America.
Since his re-election, President Trump has implemented strict immigration measures, including efforts to restrict birthright citizenship and declaring a national emergency at the US-Mexico border. In March, the US government deported alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador, where President Nayib Bukele agreed to detain them in the country’s prisons.
Since January, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has carried out mass deportations, with over 200,000 people deported nationwide. These actions have sparked large protests in several major US cities.
As the US continues its aggressive immigration policies, the global community watches closely to see how countries respond to the pressure to accept deportees. The ramifications of these actions extend beyond just the US, impacting nations around the world.
