Twelve deportees from US arrive in Uganda, Law Society says

KAMPALA, April 2 (Reuters) - A group of 12 deportees from the United States landed in Uganda on Thursday, the Uganda Law Society said, marking the first transfer under a bilateral agreement that designates Uganda as a destination for migrants the U.S. cannot return to their home countries.

The deportation highlights the expansion of President Donald Trump's third-country deportations policy, which has faced legal and human rights criticisms over concerns it sends individuals to unfamiliar nations with no personal ties.

Yasmeen Hibrawi, public affairs counsellor at the U.S. Embassy in Kampala, said that all transfers under a Safe Third Country Agreement, signed by both countries, "are in full cooperation with the Government of Uganda".

"We do not, however, discuss the details of our private diplomatic communications and for privacy reasons, we cannot discuss the particulars to their cases," Hibrawi said.

Uganda's foreign ministry did not immediately comment when contacted by Reuters.

A senior Ugandan government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the arrivals and said the deportees would remain in Uganda as part of "a transition phase for potential onward transmission to other countries".

It was not clear what nationalities the deportees were.

The arrivals make Uganda the latest African nation to accept non-national deportees from the U.S., joining others such as Ghana, South Sudan, Cameroon, and Eswatini.

The law society said the deportees, who arrived at Entebbe International Airport early on Thursday, had been subjected to what it described as an "undignified, harrowing and dehumanising process".

It added that it planned to challenge the legality of their deportation in court.

In August, Kampala announced its deal with Washington, stipulating Uganda would take in individuals denied asylum in the U.S. who were unwilling to return to their countries of origin.

Ugandan officials have clarified they will not accept deportees with criminal records or unaccompanied minors, favouring individuals of African descent.

The East African nation, which already hosts nearly 2 million refugees, primarily from conflict-hit South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, faces increasing strains on its resources due to its growing refugee population.