Uganda has firmly dismissed reports that it had reached an agreement with the United States to host migrants deported from American soil, clarifying that earlier media claims were inaccurate.
Initial stories published by international outlets suggested that Washington had struck deals with Uganda and Honduras to receive people who had entered the U.S. illegally.
According to those reports, Uganda was said to have agreed to take in deportees from Africa and Asia who had sought asylum at the U.S.–Mexico border, while Honduras would receive migrants from Spanish-speaking countries.
The arrangement was portrayed as part of a wider plan by the Trump administration to accelerate deportations, continuing a controversial policy of sending migrants to third countries with which they have no ties.
But Ugandan officials have denied any such deal exists. Henry Oryem Okello, Uganda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, dismissed the claims outright in a conversation with Reuters.
“To the best of my knowledge, we have not reached such an agreement. We do not have the facilities and infrastructure to accommodate such illegal immigrants in Uganda,” he said.
He stressed that accepting deportees would put additional strain on Uganda’s already stretched resources, especially as the country is home to one of the largest refugee populations in Africa.
The rumors had already sparked debate among Ugandans, many of whom questioned why their country would accept non-citizens when it continues to struggle with domestic pressures.
Officials have now clarified that no deal has been signed, contrasting Uganda’s position with that of some countries which have confirmed an arrangement to host a limited number of U.S. deportees with support packages.
