The government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that a group of 8 individuals whose cases were reviewed and approved by the Unites States of America (USA) Immigration judge were received in Uganda on April 2nd.
According to a statement by the permanent secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr. Vincent Bagiire dated April 3, all the 8 individuals, their protection requests will be handled accordingly.
He further noted that due to privacy reasons, the identities of these individuals may not be disclosed.
“……a group of eight (8) individuals, whose cases had been reviewed and approved by a USA IMMIGRATION JUDGE, arrived in Uganda from the USA on 1st April2026,…..” the statement reads in part.
On April 2, the Uganda Law Society (ULS) claimed it has run to court to challenge the transfer of deportees from the United States of America to Uganda, which they described as unlawful.
In response, through the same statement, the Mr. Bagiire clarified that the two countries, Uganda and USA had signed a memorandum of cooperation in the examinations of protection requests of individuals who may be removed from the USA.
“The government of Uganda and the Unites States of America (USA) signed an Agreement for Cooperation in the Examination of Protection Requests in July 2025. The agreement conforms to Uganda ‘s national laws and international obligations,” the statement added.
The agreement is also in respect to of the third country nationals or individuals who are neither citizens of Uganda nor the USA, BUT OF African origin, who may not be granted asylum in the USA and are reluctant to or may have concerns about returning to their countries of origin.
This safe third country agreement also takes into account both governments international obligations, including the principle of non-refoulement that guarantees that no one should be returned to a country where they would face torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and which applies to all migrants , irrespective of their migration status.
It’s on this basis that the government of Uganda, having been considered a safe third country, reviewed and accepted a proposal from the government of USA to cooperate in the examination of protection requests of individuals who may be removed from USA.
In mid- 2025, the US government under President Donald Trump started implementing an expanded deportation strategy known as third country removals to deport non- citizens to countries other than their nation of origin.
This strategy according to Mr Trump is aimed at accelerating the removal of undocumented migrants, particularly those with criminal backgrounds whose home countries refuse to accept them back, as well as individuals deemed uniquely barbaric.
The US has also reached agreements with countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Eswatini, and Honduras to receive deportees from the USA.
These action primarily target non-citizens including asylum seekers, undocumented migrants and those with serious criminal backgrounds.
The policy has been however heavily criticized by human rights organizations with some critics describing it as turning African nations into a dumping ground.
A federal lawsuit in March 2025 challenged these removals as a violation of US immigration laws, though the Supreme later allowed the practice to continue while the case is pending.
Earlier in 2025, the US began deportations to Central American countries and Rwanda, and had already sent individuals to South Sudan and Eswatini.
