The Trump administration has revealed plans to deport Kilmar Ábrego García, a 30-year-old Salvadoran man at the center of a high-profile immigration dispute, to the southern African kingdom of Eswatini.
An email sent to his legal team confirmed the shift from an earlier decision to send him to Uganda, after Ábrego García raised fears of persecution there.
While the officer handling the case dismissed his claims as “hard to take seriously,” the government nonetheless changed its destination order.
This marks the fourth country considered for his deportation.
Ábrego García’s legal saga has been turbulent. In March, he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, an error the U.S. later admitted.
He was returned to U.S. custody in June and charged with human smuggling, charges to which he pleaded not guilty. Officials allege he is affiliated with the MS-13 gang, a claim he denies.
The case has become emblematic of the Trump administration’s hardline immigration policies, where deportation arrangements increasingly involve third countries with little or no connection to the individuals being removed.
Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is a small, landlocked nation bordered by South Africa and Mozambique.
It remains one of the world’s last absolute monarchies under King Mswati III, who has ruled since 1986.
Despite having no links to the country, Ábrego García is set to join five others already deported there under similar arrangements.
The practice has caused unease in Eswatini, where critics warn the country risks becoming a dumping ground for foreign detainees.
Officials have not disclosed whether financial incentives are tied to the deportation deal.
Analysts note that the U.S. is Eswatini’s fourth-largest market for sugar exports, suggesting trade considerations may influence the kingdom’s willingness to accept the transfers.
Ábrego García first entered the U.S. illegally as a teenager. His history with immigration enforcement stretches back to 2019, when he was detained alongside three others in Maryland.
With his future uncertain, the latest move places him at the heart of a broader debate over U.S. deportation practices and their diplomatic ripple effects.