Lawyers accuse U.S. of rights violations in deportations to Eswatini

The men were allegedly denied access to legal counsel and held in a maximum-security prison in the southern African nation for seven weeks without charge or explanation.

Among them is Jamaican national Orville Etoria. The Legal Aid Society of New York argues that his case undermines the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's claim that the deportations occurred because the men's home countries refused them entry.

The group has raised alarm over the case of Etoria, who was granted parole in 2021 after serving a 25-year sentence, yet is now being held in Eswatini's main maximum-security prison despite having completed his term. Jamaica's foreign ministry has also confirmed it never refused to accept deported nationals.

The transfers are part of a Trump-era initiative to relocate irregular migrants to African countries. Since July, the U.S. has deported individuals to Eswatini, Rwanda, and South Sudan, with Uganda indicating it has agreed in principle to receive deportees.

Since July, the U.S has deported migrants to Eswatini, Rwanda and South Sudan, with Uganda indicating that it has agreed in principle to accept deportees.