US Senate: Washington in Talks with 80 Countries to Take Deported Migrants

DID Press: The Foreign Relations Committee of the US Senate said the US Department of State is consulting with 70 to 80 countries under a policy aimed at relocating deported migrants.

Democratic members of the committee said the administration of Donald Trump paid more than $32 million to five countries—described in the report as among the world’s most corrupt regimes—to accept about 300 deported migrants.

According to the 30-page report, the five countries involved are Rwanda, Equatorial Guinea, Palau, Eswatini, and El Salvador.

The report said Rwanda received $7.5 million to accept seven people—about $1 million per migrant on average. Equatorial Guinea was paid $7.5 million to take 29 people. Palau also received $7.5 million, although no confirmed transfers to the country were recorded. Eswatini received $5.1 million for 15 people, while El Salvador was paid $4.76 million for roughly 250 migrants.

The committee said more than 80% of migrants sent to these countries later returned, or are in the process of returning, to their countries of origin—raising questions about the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of the policy.

Lawmakers added that the State Department is now in talks with 70–80 additional countries to expand similar arrangements, a move likely to intensify debate in Congress over financial oversight, transparency, and accountability in the migrant relocation program.