Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirefer said the “ongoing” debate is “still in its early stages.”
The Rwandan Foreign Minister confirmed that less than a year after similar plans with the UK fell apart, his country was involved in the debate to receive immigrants deported from the US.
“We haven’t yet reached the stage where we can say exactly how things go, but the talk is ongoing,” Olivier Ndunnguleje told state broadcaster Rwanda TV in an interview later Sunday. “We’re still in the early stages.”
Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was looking for a country where he would bring more countries to him as President Donald Trump’s administration stepped up efforts to deport immigrants who entered the United States without documents or other non-citizens.
“We want to work with other countries to send you some of the sleazy people to your country. Do you do that as a boon?” And the farther away from America, the better, they can’t come back across the border,” Rubio said at a televised cabinet meeting where he sat next to Trump.
Rwanda confirmed the talks after citing US media saying that unknown officials from both countries were discussing the scheme. The US also reportedly views Libya as a different destination.
The report said the US wanted Rwanda to accept immigrants with criminal records who have served their sentences in the US and discourage them from consolidating themselves into society with scholarships and employment support.
In March, the Trump administration deported Iraqi citizens to Rwanda with a transfer that could serve as a future model, according to several US outlets cited civil servants and cited documents.
The effort coincides with Trump’s crackdown on immigration, which began shortly after he took office in January for his second year term.
His administration is facing a legal battle as he continues to send members of the accused gang to El Salvador’s largest security prison without legitimate proceedings.
Last month, Trump said he wanted to deport “his country’s criminals” to the country amid continuing debate over the illegal deportation of Salvadoran citizens living in El Salvador in Maryland. He also directed the opening of a detention centre in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, housed up to 30,000 people known as “the worst criminals.”
In an interview that aired Sunday, Trump said he “don’t know” whether Americans have the right to grant the right to process as guaranteed by the country’s constitution.
Rwanda and the US government have yet to officially confirm details of the talks, but if an agreement is reached, it will not be the first time Rwanda has accepted migrants who have been expelled from the West.
The country had agreed with the UK to take over immigrants who were expelled by the UK government, but the plan faced many legal challenges and was deemed illegal by the UK Supreme Court in its November 2023 ruling.
The then Newly elected labor government was abolished in July by Kiel’s Prime Minister, labeling it as a “gimmick” and repealing the contract. Rwanda is seeking £50 million ($66 million) in payments from the UK than in cancelled transactions.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warns that some people sent to Rwanda could be returned to their escaped countries and face dangers, including death.
Rwanda denied the allegations and accused UNHCR of lying.