Rwanda has signed an agreement with the United States to receive up to 250 migrants who have been deported from American territory.
The deal was signed in June 2025 in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.
According to a Rwandan government official, who spoke to Reuters anonymously, the United States has already submitted a list of ten individuals for Rwanda to assess. The agreement allows Rwanda to review and approve each person before they are resettled in the country.
Basis of the Agreement
Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo explained that the country agreed to host the migrants due to its history of displacement and a commitment to inclusion and rehabilitation. In her words,
“Nearly every Rwandan family has experienced the hardships of displacement, and our societal values are founded on reintegration and rehabilitation.”
She added that those who are accepted will be offered workforce training, healthcare, and housing assistance to help them restart their lives and contribute to Rwanda’s economy.
The agreement comes at a time when the United States, under the Trump administration, is increasing efforts to deport individuals who entered the country illegally or have criminal records. In some cases, deportation to their countries of origin is not possible, prompting the U.S. to seek agreements with third countries.
Under current policies, the U.S. government is prioritizing the removal of certain migrants, especially those with past criminal convictions or who are considered difficult to deport for diplomatic or legal reasons. A recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2025 allowed the government to deport migrants to third countries without allowing them to argue that they may face harm in the receiving country. However, this policy is currently being challenged in a federal court in Boston.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has not made a public statement and has referred all questions to the State Department, which also has not issued a comment.
Rwanda has been involved in similar humanitarian efforts in the past. Between September 2019 and April 2025, the country accepted 2,760 refugees and asylum seekers from Libya, most of whom were later resettled in European countries. These individuals were hosted at the Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM) center in Bugesera District.
Rwanda had also reached an agreement with the United Kingdom in 2022 to host asylum seekers, though that plan was cancelled in 2024 by the UK’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer, following legal opposition. No migrants were sent to Rwanda under that arrangement.
Conditions of the New Agreement
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Rwanda will only accept individuals who are not serving prison sentences and who have no pending criminal cases.
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Sex offenders, including child sex offenders, will not be accepted.
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The migrants are not required to stay in Rwanda permanently and may leave the country if they choose to.
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The United States will provide Rwanda with a financial grant, though the amount has not been disclosed.
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The agreement may be extended beyond 250 migrants if both countries agree.
While some international leaders have praised President Paul Kagame for Rwanda’s economic and political progress, human rights groups have expressed concern.
They argue that Rwanda does not always respect basic freedoms, and question whether it is appropriate to send vulnerable migrants to a country where they may face new risks or lack social connections.
Critics in the U.S. and abroad have described such deportation agreements as unfair and unsafe, saying they may expose migrants to further hardship in unfamiliar countries where they do not speak the language and have no family or support.
