The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has announced a significant agreement to accept migrants who are being deported from the United States, a move that will take effect from this month. This decision comes as part of a growing trend by the US government to deport individuals, including those who are not Congolese nationals, in a crackdown on immigration. The Ministry of Communication in the DRC confirmed the arrangement, noting that a temporary reception system has been established, with facilities designated in the capital city of Kinshasa to accommodate the incoming deportees.
According to the official statement, the United States will provide “logistical and technical support “for the initiative, ensuring that the Congolese government will not incur any financial costs. However, the statement did not specify the number of deportees that the DRC is expected to accept. This decision by the DRC is part of its commitment to human dignity, international solidarity, and the protection of migrant rights, as emphasized in the statement.
It is important to note that the scheme does not constitute a “permanent relocation mechanism or an outsourcing of migration policies, “as clarified by the Congolese authorities. The BBC has reached out to the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security in the US for comment on the agreement but has not yet received a response.
The Trump administration, which has been in power since January 2021, has deported dozens of people to third countries as part of its strict immigration policies. Human rights campaigners have criticized this policy, with some raising concerns about its legality. The DRC is now among several African countries, including Eswatini, Ghana, and South Sudan, that have agreed to receive deportees from the US.
In a related development, the US Senate’s Committee on Foreign Relations has reported that the Trump administration has “likely “spent more than $40 million in third-country deportations up to January 2026, although the total cost remains uncertain. The US has also allocated more than $32 million directly to five countries, including Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini, and Palau.
Additionally, the US is currently in negotiations with the DRC for a minerals deal, which would provide access to the central African country’s abundant reserves of key metals such as cobalt, tantalum, lithium, and copper. Under the Trump administration, the US also facilitated a peace deal between the DRC and Rwanda, although challenges in its implementation continue.
Source: BBC Africa
