The Democratic Republic of Congo has agreed to accept migrants deported from the United States who are not Congolese nationals, under a new arrangement that took effect this month. Government officials confirmed the establishment of a temporary reception system, with facilities prepared in the capital, Kinshasa, to accommodate arrivals.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Communication, the United States will provide "logistical and technical support" for the initiative, with the Congolese government incurring no financial costs. The statement emphasized that the program aligns with DR Congo's commitment to human dignity, international solidarity, and the protection of migrant rights, while clarifying it is not a "permanent relocation mechanism or an outsourcing of migration policies."
"The decision to receive what are known as third-country migrants - that is those who come from neither the sending nor receiving nation - aligns with DR Congo's commitment to human dignity, international solidarity and to protect the rights of migrants," the government statement read.
The agreement comes as part of the Trump administration's broader crackdown on immigration, which has included deporting individuals to several African nations. DR Congo now joins other countries on the continent, such as Eswatini, Ghana, and South Sudan, in accepting deportees from the US.
Human rights advocates have raised concerns about the policy, with some questioning its legality. Congolese officials have sought to address fears that migrants might be returned to their home countries where they could face persecution, stating that no such transfers are currently planned.
The financial scale of these deportation arrangements was highlighted in a minority report from the US Senate's Committee on Foreign Relations, which estimated the Trump administration had "likely" spent over $40 million on third-country deportations by January 2026, with more than $32 million provided directly to five countries including Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, and Eswatini.
This migration agreement unfolds alongside ongoing US negotiations with DR Congo regarding access to the country's substantial mineral reserves, including cobalt, tantalum, lithium, and copper. The Trump administration has also facilitated a peace deal between DR Congo and Rwanda, though implementation challenges persist.