Burundi has informed U.S. diplomats that it will accept migrants deported by the United States even if they have no prior ties to the central-African nation, government spokesperson Prosper Ntahorwamiye said on September 29. The announcement gives ICE an additional destination for third-country deportations revived by the Supreme Court’s order. Details remain murky: Burundian officials said they will review cases ‘on a humanitarian basis’ and could reject individuals deemed security risks. Human-rights groups in Bujumbura criticized the move, noting that Burundi struggles with food shortages and political unrest. For U.S. employers, the agreement means that workers with final removal orders could be sent to East Africa rather than their country of origin. Repatriation to a nation with limited consular resources complicates any future attempt to obtain U.S. work visas, effectively ending prospects for re-entry. The State Department said it is negotiating similar accords with at least four other nations to ease deportation bottlenecks. Mobility managers should track which countries are on ICE’s growing acceptance list and counsel affected employees about travel-document issues and legal options before removal proceedings advance.
Source: Associated Press
