FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (AP) — Asylum seekers deported by the U.S. to Sierra Leone danger being despatched again to their dwelling international locations the place they face persecution, in response to considered one of their legal professionals and paperwork seen by The Related Press, regardless of prior U.S. court docket orders barring their deportation to these international locations.
A few dozen individuals deported from the U.S. arrived in Sierra Leone Thursday, the second deportation flight to the nation after 9 West African migrants landed there final month, Erica Reilly, an lawyer representing one of many migrants, mentioned Friday.
Sierra Leone is considered one of at the least 9 different African nations that the U.S. has struck third-country deportation offers with. Authorities have mentioned they’re solely taking in residents of West African international locations. A number of international locations in Latin America and the Caribbean have additionally reached related agreements with the U.S.
A briefing pamphlet that legal professionals mentioned was distributed to the migrants upon their arrival within the capital, Freetown, reads that the federal government and contractors are working to “return you dwelling as shortly and safely as potential.”
The pamphlet, a replica of which was seen by the AP, was distributed by Kenvah Options, a non-public contractor that the Sierra Leone authorities mentioned it employed to deal with the deportees’ lodging, meals, healthcare and switch.
The pamphlet describes Sierra Leone as a “momentary transit location,” stating that “no long-term settlement is offered for or permitted.”
Kenvah Options and the Sierra Leonean authorities didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Underneath a sequence of often-secret agreements, the Trump administration has deported 1000’s of individuals to almost two dozen international locations that aren’t their very own, advocates say, all a part of the broad U.S. crackdown on immigration. Immigration legal professionals mentioned the Trump administration makes use of deportations to 3rd international locations as a authorized loophole to not directly drive asylum seekers again to their dwelling international locations.
Sierra Leone’s overseas minister, Timothy Kabba, mentioned final month that the federal government’s settlement with the Trump administration is supported by a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. authorities.
This system is capped at 25 deportees per thirty days and 300 per 12 months, in response to the ministry. It didn’t specify the length of the association.
Reilly, the lawyer representing a Nigerian man amongst these deported Thursday, mentioned the migrants had authorized protections from U.S. courts to not be deported to their dwelling international locations after judges dominated they confronted credible fears of persecution. Now they’re left with little capability to forestall being despatched there.
“They’re put able the place they only don’t have a say in any respect,” Reilly mentioned.
Earlier this month, rights legal professionals filed a case in opposition to Equatorial Guinea earlier than Africa’s prime human rights physique, accusing the central African nation of forcing deportees from the US again to their dwelling international locations in violation of their rights.
“The U.S. authorities is aware of precisely what’s going to occur within the overwhelming majority of those conditions,” Reilly mentioned. “Our authorities is simply saying, ‘What occurs to them after they go away the US isn’t our downside.’”
Banchereau reported from Dakar, Senegal.