The Department of International Relations and Cooperation and Border Management Authority have hit back at allegations that three people, deported from the United States, have made their way into South Africa.
The three Third Country Nationals (TCNs), from Yemen, Belize and Laos, were among people transferred to the southern African kingdom under a controversial agreement between the governments of the United States and Eswatini.
BMA issued a statement clarifying the confusion.
“The BMA has noted claims that deportees are entering South Africa through informal border crossings and wishes to clarify that South Africa’s land Ports of Entry are secured, with access control measures implemented at designated entry and exit points,” it said.
Dirco’s Head of Diplomacy, Clayson Monyela, went on to share a statement from the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini confirming the process undertaken in the men’s journey.
According to Eswatini acting government spokesperson Thabile Mdluli, the three requested to return to their home countries.
“The first TCN, a national of Yemen, voluntarily departed the Kingdom on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, following his request to return to his country of origin,” Mdluli said.
“The second TCN, a national of Belize, voluntarily departed the Kingdom on September 30, following his request to return home,” she said.
“The third TCN, a national of Laos, voluntarily departed the Kingdom on October 4, also following his request for voluntary repatriation to his country of origin.”
The announcement comes amid mounting international scrutiny of the US government’s practice of deporting people to countries where they are not citizens and with which they may have no previous connection.
Deported thousands of kilometres from home
Under an agreement signed in May 2025, Eswatini agreed to accept up to 160 third-country nationals removed from the US, while Washington committed about US$5.1 million to support Eswatini’s border and migration-management capacity.
The arrangement formed part of the Trump administration’s wider push to deport migrants to countries other than their countries of nationality.
The first five people were sent to Eswatini in July 2025. They were nationals of Cuba, Jamaica, Laos, Vietnam and Yemen and had previously served criminal sentences in the US. Human Rights Watch says none of the five had previously been to Eswatini or had ties to the country.
More people followed, with further groups arriving in October 2025, March 2026 and July 2026. Recent investigations have put the total number transferred to Eswatini at about 32 people.
The arrangement has faced fierce criticism from human rights organisations, which have questioned the legality of detaining people in Eswatini after their removal from the US.
Amnesty International has accused the authorities of arbitrarily detaining people who have no known ties to Eswatini and called for greater transparency, legal access and due process.
Lao deportee released after more than a year
One of the most high-profile cases involved Phone Chomsavanh, a Laotian national who was among the original five sent to Eswatini.
Chomsavanh was released earlier this month after spending more than a year in a maximum-security prison in Eswatini. He was subsequently reported to be making his way towards Laos.
His case has become a symbol of the controversy surrounding the third-country deportation programme, particularly because he had no previous connection to Eswatini.
The latest departures suggest that some of those transferred under the arrangement are now being assisted to leave Eswatini and return to their countries of origin.
Mdluli said the government was continuing to work with relevant authorities to facilitate such requests.
“Government continues to engage with the relevant authorities and partners to facilitate requests for voluntary repatriation, where made, in accordance with the applicable arrangements and procedures,” she said.
She added that Eswatini appreciated the cooperation of countries and authorities involved in helping the three travel home.
The kingdom also sought to reassure the public that the people transferred to Eswatini remained protected while in the country.
“Government expresses its appreciation to the countries and relevant authorities that have cooperated with the Kingdom in facilitating the transit of the TCNs as they travelled to their respective countries of origin,” Mdluli said.
“The government of the Kingdom of Eswatini reiterates its commitment to ensuring that the rights, dignity and well-being of TCNs are respected and protected throughout their temporary stay in the Kingdom, while safeguarding the security and interests of the Kingdom and its people.”
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