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A group of 15 individuals arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday after being deported from the United States, marking the first arrivals under a new immigration agreement.
According to local sources and the United Nations, the group—consisting of seven women and eight men—landed in Kinshasa overnight.
While they were sent to the DRC, reports indicate that the migrants are actually citizens of Peru and Ecuador, highlighting the “third-country” nature of Washington’s current expulsion strategy.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) confirmed it has been asked by the Congolese government to provide humanitarian aid to the new arrivals.
The agency noted that it may offer assisted voluntary return to those wishing to return to their home countries.
This transfer is part of a broader series of deals negotiated by the Trump administration with several African nations to quickly remove migrants from U.S. soil, with more groups expected to arrive in Kinshasa in the coming months.
The agreement has drawn criticism from rights groups and local analysts due to a lack of transparency regarding the financial and logistical terms.
Observers suggest the deal may be linked to broader diplomatic interests, including U.S. access to Congo’s critical mineral resources and American mediation in regional conflicts.
Despite government assurances that the U.S. will cover the costs, many in the DRC remain surprised by the arrangement, given the significant domestic challenges already facing the capital city.
