In a recent development, more than half of the 15 Latin American migrants deported to Congo in April have now returned to their native countries. This information was confirmed by the Congolese government and an attorney representing one of the migrants.
During this period, U.S. immigration judges determined that these individuals were at risk of persecution if sent back to their home countries. Congo is among several African nations that have entered into third-country deportation agreements with the U.S. The Trump administration utilized these secretive agreements to deport thousands of individuals to countries that were not their own.
According to Alma David, an attorney based in the U.S. representing one of these migrants, eight deportees have made their way back to their home countries. Her client, a Colombian woman, remains in Congo amidst uncertainty about her situation.
Adriana Maria Quiroz Zapata, another Colombian, also remains in Congo. This is despite a federal judge’s order instructing the U.S. administration to facilitate her return, as Congo initially refused her due to unmet medical care needs.
Recently, four Peruvians and three Colombians were assisted in returning home through the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Assisted Voluntary Return program. This program helps cover travel costs for migrants opting to return home voluntarily, avoiding forced deportation.
The lawyer highlighted that the migrants were protected by U.S. federal court rulings against returning to their home countries due to likely persecution. However, their choice to return raises concerns about their feeling of being trapped without viable alternatives.
The IOM stated that the assisted returns are strictly voluntary, requiring informed consent from the migrants involved. A Colombian man reportedly managed to return home independently recently.
The Congolese government’s statement emphasized the temporary nature of the arrangement, with further departures anticipated shortly as part of the agreement’s implementation.
These events coincide with legal actions taken against Equatorial Guinea at Africa’s top human rights body, challenging the forced return of deportees to their home countries, arguing it violates their rights.