Sierra Leone Receives Nine US Deportees Under Trump Immigration Policy

Sierra Leone has received nine deportees from the United States under President Donald Trump’s immigration policy. The migrants, from several West African countries, arrived in Freetown and will be temporarily held before onward return to their home countries.

Sierra Leone has become the latest African country to receive deportees from the United States as President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement policy continues to expand, with nine migrants arriving at Freetown International Airport on Wednesday.
An AFP journalist confirmed that a plane carrying the deportees landed in the morning outside the capital, Freetown. Foreign Minister Timothy Musa Kabba had initially said 25 people were expected, but later confirmed that only nine migrants were received, stating: “We have received nine deportees this morning from the US.”
Authorities said the deportees are nationals of Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea and Senegal. The group consists of seven men and two women, and witnesses reported that they appeared subdued as they disembarked and were escorted into a minibus under police supervision.
A health ministry official, Doris Bah, said the deportees appeared traumatised, claiming they had spent months in restraints while detained in the United States. She added that most of them expressed a desire to return to their countries of origin as soon as possible. She also noted that some were arrested in various circumstances in the US, including from workplaces and public spaces, while one was detained while playing football.
The deportees are expected to be temporarily housed in a hotel before being repatriated to their home countries within two weeks.
Sierra Leone has agreed to accept up to 300 deportees per year from the United States, but only nationals from Economic Community of West African States member states. Officials said some of the individuals have Sierra Leonean residence permits issued years ago, allowing them to remain in the country for up to 90 days before onward travel.
A foreign ministry document seen by AFP indicates that the United States is providing about $1.5 million to support the arrangement, covering humanitarian and operational costs linked to the programme. However, Sierra Leone has not disclosed whether additional conditions were part of the agreement.
A spokesperson for the United States Department of State said the removal of migrants from US territory remains a “top priority,” but did not explain why Sierra Leone was selected or detail any incentives involved.
Sierra Leone now joins several other African countries that have accepted deportees from the US, including Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda and South Sudan.
Human rights group Human Rights Watch has criticised such arrangements, calling them “opaque deals” and warning that they may conflict with international human rights law and raise concerns about transparency and due process.