In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the arrival of Latin American migrants expelled from the United States opened a controversial sequence last week. Between legal vagueness, geopolitical issues and criticism from civil society, the agreement signed between Washington and Kinshasa raises questions. France 24 takes stock of what we know.

Published on: 04/21/2026 - 4:37 p.m. Modified on: 04/21/2026 - 5:11 p.m.

Their discreet arrival immediately sparked controversy. Latin American migrants deported from the United States were transferred to Kinshasa on Friday April 17, a first for the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This group, whose arrival had not been the subject of any prior announcement, is part of a highly contested American system: the sending of foreign nationals in an irregular situation to third countries. Eswatini welcomed five men last July. The outlines of these arrangements as well as the conditions of support remain largely unclear, raising questions and criticism in the country.

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• Who are the migrants expelled in DR Congo?

According to a source close to the Congolese presidency, fifteen people – seven women and eight men – landed on the night of Thursday April 16 to Friday April 17 at Ndjili airport. Originally from Peru, Ecuador and Colombia, they had been detained for an indefinite period in a “migratory center in Alexandria (Virginia)”, according to Le Monde, before being expelled by the American immigration services (ICE).

This first group could be followed by other arrivals, at the rate of around fifty people per month. More than 30 people were initially expected this week, but rulings by US federal judges suspended several expulsions at the last minute, US lawyer Alma David, who represents one of the migrants, told Reuters.

The Peruvian and Ecuadorian foreign ministries say some of their nationals have themselves requested to be transferred to the Democratic Republic of Congo rather than return to their countries of origin, while their legal appeals are still pending in the United States.

• What are their reception conditions and their options on site?

Upon arrival, the 15 people were granted a seven-day visa, renewable for up to three months, allowing them to move freely in the country, a Colombian national who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons told Reuters. They can also apply for asylum in the Democratic Republic of Congo, although this option was reportedly discouraged by the authorities, who warned them that the country "was dangerous", according to her testimony.

In fact, their situation remains uncertain. Housed in a hotel under police surveillance, near Kinshasa airport, the fifteen people should remain "for a short period" in the country, according to lawyer Alma David, who affirms that they all benefit from American legal protection preventing them from being returned to their country of origin.

For its part, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been asked to provide them with humanitarian assistance and could offer an “assisted voluntary return”, which is “based on free, prior and informed consent”, declares a spokesperson. A prospect that worries Alma David. “The fact that we insist on a 'voluntary' return when they have been fighting for months not to return home is very alarming,” she denounces.

The Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said it was offering its citizens consular assistance in Kenya to provide them with “support and advice if necessary”.

• What does the agreement between Washington and Kinshasa provide?

Officialized on April 5 by the Congolese government with few details, the agreement between Washington and Kinshasa remains surrounded by numerous gray areas. The Congolese authorities have assured that "no financial burden will be borne by the Public Treasury" of the country, specifying that "the logistical and technical support of the system will be ensured by the American government". They mention “jointly defined modalities”, without detailing their content.

On the day of the arrival of the first migrants, the Ministry of Communication confirmed the operation, carried out "following the timetable established by the competent authorities", while insisting on its "temporary" and "limited in time" nature. The people concerned are admitted to Congolese territory “under cover of short stay permits”.

With this agreement, the Democratic Republic of Congo joins a growing list of African countries – Cameroon, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan – that have agreed, since the summer of 2025, to welcome migrants deported from the United States under similar partnerships.

See alsoDR Congo and the United States formalize an agreement on the reception of migrants

• What is the Trump administration’s strategy?

Behind this type of agreement, the Trump administration is pursuing a clear objective: to accelerate the expulsions of illegal aliens by sending them to third countries, before possible repatriation to their country of origin. This outsourcing policy marks a turning point, by de facto delegating to other States the management of the rest of their migratory journey.

According to a report by the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, at least 300 migrants have already been deported to third countries at a cost of at least $40 million (€34 million), an amount that the authors of the report however consider underestimated, with the total cost remaining "unknown".

For Nicole Widdersheim, deputy director of the office of the NGO Human Rights Watch in Washington, this strategy also responds to a dissuasive logic: it would make it possible to "establish a climate of fear among immigrants in the United States by playing on the negative stereotypes associated with African countries", in order to encourage so-called "voluntary" departures, she explains to Le Monde.

Asked by the media, the US State Department declined to comment on the agreement with Kinshasa, saying it remained "firmly committed to putting an end to illegal and mass immigration and to strengthening the security of America's borders".

Read alsoIn the United States, even the families of soldiers are no longer spared from ICE

• In what context was this agreement concluded?

Beyond the migration issue, this agreement is part of a broader set of geopolitical interests between Washington and Kinshasa. According to several corroborating sources, the negotiations coincided with discussions held in spring 2025 under the aegis of the United States around the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. This conflict, which pits Congolese forces against the AFC/M23 rebel group supported by Rwanda, has left thousands dead and displaced millions of civilians. A peace agreement, signed in Washington on December 4, 2025 under the leadership of Donald Trump, was quickly violated.

At the same time, the two countries have strengthened their strategic cooperation, particularly around Congolese mining resources, essential for the global technology industry. Washington has thus become involved in diplomatic efforts aimed at stabilizing the east of the country, without concrete progress at this stage, while seeking to secure privileged access to these critical minerals.

See alsoIn DR Congo, fighting resumes, two days after the end of negotiations

This rapprochement also resulted in the signing, at the end of February, of a health partnership worth $1.2 billion, notably with the objective for the United States to collect data in the fight against potentially epidemic viruses.

For researcher Albert Malukisa, from the Congolese Ebuteli Institute, this migration agreement also responds to internal political logic. President Félix Tshisekedi “wants to show President Trump that he is ready to support his objectives in order to obtain a form of international legitimacy and stay in power longer,” he analyzes in Le Monde. A strategy which comes as his camp relaunches the idea of ​​a constitutional reform likely to allow him to run for a third term in 2028.

• Why is this agreement attracting criticism?

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the opacity surrounding this agreement fueled concerns since its announcement in early April. Part of civil society and the opposition denounce a lack of transparency and question the compensation obtained by Kinshasa, in a file negotiated without public debate.

On a legal level, several voices point to a possible violation of international law. “These individuals were apprehended in the United States under the status of asylum seekers, but their request has not yet been examined. Transferring them to the DRC is illegal, international law prohibits it,” underlines Me Hubert Tshiswaka, director of the Human Rights Research Institute, on RFI.

The political opposition is just as virulent. Questioned on France 24, Prince Epenge, the spokesperson for the Lamuka coalition, denounces "secret agreements" and accuses President Félix Tshisekedi of "having signed them behind the backs of the Congolese to please the American president".

Accusations rejected by the presidential camp. "We must not politicize everything. Let's look at the facts. This agreement is a strategic lever. It consolidates the relationship with the leading world power and opens up prospects in terms of security, economic cooperation and international influence", defends Jean Thierry Monsenepwo, communicator for the presidential coalition in power, the Sacred Union of the Nation, to RFI.

Beyond the political debate, the socio-economic situation of the country fuels criticism. In a State faced with massive poverty and millions of internally displaced people, reception capacity raises questions. “For that matter, if the DR Congo has the means to take care of migrants expelled from the United States, let it first take care of its own refugees who, not knowing which way to turn, have joined other countries,” points out the Burkinabè daily Le Pays. For the pan-African site Afrik.com, the country could even become “a new transit hub in Africa” for migrants before they are sent back to their country of origin or a third country.

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