UN independent experts say recent US deportations of third-country nationals are triggering a “cascade” of human rights abuses, including violations that may occur after people are removed. They warn that returning individuals to states where they may have no meaningful ties increases risks of further harm and unlawful treatment.
The experts point to the scale and structure of the policy, saying the United States has agreements with more than 35 countries and has deported at least 23,000 third-country nationals. France 24 also cites findings from an international investigation by a consortium of journalists, reporting that more than 25,000 third-country nationals were deported by the end of August. Courthouse News adds that experts identify potential downstream harms such as arbitrary detention, slavery, and trafficking.
Across the reports, the experts’ central concern is that the deportations—particularly when people are sent to countries they do not know—raise the likelihood of torture, ill-treatment, enforced disappearance, and other abuses. The outlets differ mainly in the emphasis and specific figures cited, based on their respective reporting and sourcing.
