Africa-Press. Eight migrants from a group of 15 individuals from Latin America, who were deported by the United States to the Republic of Congo last April, have returned to their home countries in recent weeks, according to the Congolese government and an attorney representing one of the deportees.
The American attorney Alma David stated that seven of the deportees, including four Peruvians and three Colombians, returned to their homelands this week with the assistance of a local source, while an eighth Colombian migrant returned independently.
The returns were facilitated through the International Organization for Migration’s “assisted voluntary return” program, which provides logistical support and travel costs for migrants wishing to return to their countries.
The United States had deported the group to Congo under an agreement that allows for the transfer of migrants to third countries where they do not hold citizenship, as part of a policy adopted by the administration of former President Donald Trump to tighten immigration measures.
This policy has faced widespread criticism from human rights organizations and immigration attorneys, especially since U.S. judges had previously determined that some of these migrants could face persecution if returned to their home countries.
Alma David noted that the return of some deportees to their homelands raises questions about the options available to them upon arriving in Congo, pointing out that the lack of viable alternatives may have led them to decide to return despite the risks that initially drove them to seek protection.
Meanwhile, several deportees remain in Congo, including a Colombian woman who has previously spoken about the difficult living conditions and uncertainty she faced after her deportation.
Colombian Adriana Maria Quiroz Zapata is still in Congo, despite a federal U.S. judge’s order last month demanding her return to the United States, after she was deported despite health issues that Congolese authorities stated they were not equipped to handle.
The Congolese government confirmed that the recent departures reflect the temporary nature of the agreement made with the United States, indicating that more deportees will leave the country in the coming period.
The Republic of Congo is one of several African countries that have made agreements with the United States to receive deported migrants from other nations, arrangements that continue to face criticism from human rights organizations, which argue that they may effectively force asylum seekers to return to the countries they fled due to fears of persecution or security risks.
