Rwanda 'in discussions' with US to receive deported migrants: report
Rwanda is reportedly "in discussions with the United States" to receive migrants deported by the Trump administration.
Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe told state broadcaster Rwanda TV on Sunday that the East African country "has not yet reached a stage where we can say exactly how things will proceed, but the talks are ongoing ... still in the early stages," according to Reuters. "We are in discussions with the United States."
A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Monday that implementing the Trump administration's immigration policies is a top priority and that it is working closely with partners and regional leaders to end the crisis of illegal and mass migration.
The spokesperson added that ongoing engagement with foreign governments is vital to accomplishing that goal but noted that the State Department does not publicly discuss the details of its diplomatic communications.
Rwanda’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond Monday to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
At a Cabinet meeting last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, "We have gone to countries all over the world and said, ‘Hey, you want good relations with the United States, you need to take back your people that are here illegally.' And we've had historic cooperation. Beyond that, and I say this unapologetically, we are actively searching for other countries to take people from third countries.
"So we are actively – not just El Salvador – we are working with other countries to say, ‘We want to send you some of the most despicable human beings to your countries, will you do that as a favor to us?' And the further away from America the better, so they can’t come back across the border," Rubio added.
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In a 2023 report on the human rights situation in Rwanda, the State Department said "significant" issues exist, such as "credible reports of arbitrary or unlawful killings, including extrajudicial killings; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest or detention; political prisoners or detainees; transnational repression against individuals in another country; arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy," among other allegations.
Rwanda previously had an agreement with the United Kingdom in 2022 to accept thousands of asylum seekers, but that deal was scrapped last year by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Reuters reported.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame said in February that "President Trump has an unconventional way of doing things," and "I completely agree with him on many things."
Fox News Digital's Jeffrey Clark contributed to this report.