Sierra Leone on Wednesday joined the growing list of African nations accepting migrants deported from the United States as part of President Donald Trump’s intensified immigration enforcement measures.
An aircraft carrying nine deported West African migrants touched down Wednesday morning at the international airport near Freetown, according to reports from journalists at the scene.
Confirming the development, Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister, Timothy Musa Kabba, said the country had officially received nine deportees from the United States, although earlier indications suggested that 25 individuals were expected.
Authorities disclosed that the migrants originated from Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea, and Senegal.
Security personnel, medical workers, and government representatives were present at the airport to receive the deportees upon arrival.
Witnesses observed seven men and two women being escorted into a waiting minibus under police supervision, appearing visibly distressed.
A health ministry official, Doris Bah, explained that many of the deportees appeared deeply traumatised after spending months in detention in the United States while restrained in chains. She added that most of them expressed a desire to return to their home countries as soon as possible.
According to Bah, some of the migrants were reportedly arrested while at work, on the streets, or even during recreational activities such as football matches in the United States.
The deportees are expected to stay temporarily in a hotel facility before arrangements are made for their return to their countries of origin within a maximum period of two weeks.
Under the agreement reached with Washington, Sierra Leone has agreed to receive up to 300 deported individuals annually, provided they are citizens of member states belonging to the Economic Community of West African States.
Foreign Minister Kabba explained that the government accepted the arrangement because the migrants are from West Africa, with some reportedly holding Sierra Leonean residence permits obtained years ago.
He stated that the deportees would be permitted to remain in Sierra Leone for up to 90 days before returning to their respective countries.
According to documents from the foreign ministry, the United States has committed $1.5 million in support funding to cover operational and humanitarian expenses connected to the programme.
However, Sierra Leonean authorities have not disclosed whether any additional concessions or agreements were reached with Washington.
When questioned about the deportation programme, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said the removal of undocumented migrants remained a major priority for the American government but declined to provide details on why Sierra Leone was selected or what incentives may have been offered.
Sierra Leone now joins countries such as Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Ghana in accepting deportees from the United States.
In exchange, Washington has reportedly been providing financial and logistical assistance to participating countries.
Some African nations, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have also reportedly received deportees originating from regions outside Africa, including parts of Latin America.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has criticised the deportation arrangements, urging African governments to reject such agreements. The group argued in September that the largely undisclosed deals formed part of a U.S. immigration strategy that contravened international human rights standards.