Trump administration's secret migrant deportations to Africa uncovered

A joint investigation by France 24 and Radio France International, conducted under the coordination of the nonprofit newsroom Forbidden Stories and a consortium of 26 media outlets, has revealed secret agreements between the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump and a group of African nations. Over a seven‑month period, reporters traced a series of “third‑country” arrangements in which undocumented migrants detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are transferred to partner states in Africa for onward deportation, bypassing standard asylum procedures and public oversight.

The investigation indicates that the deals were negotiated quietly, with the participating African governments agreeing to receive migrants who had been removed from U.S. custody. According to documents obtained by the journalists, the arrangements were not disclosed to the public or to the migrants themselves, raising questions about compliance with international refugee and human‑rights obligations. The findings add to ongoing scrutiny of U.S. immigration policies during the Trump era and may prompt further inquiries into the legality and humanitarian impact of such extraterritorial deportations.