US Deports First Group of Migrants to Democratic Republic of the Congo

The United States has expelled 15 migrants to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including seven Peruvian nationals, according to Peruvian diplomatic sources and regional media reports. The expulsions, carried out in mid-April 2026, mark a rare instance of the U.S. Deporting individuals to the Central African nation, which is not a common destination for U.S. Immigration enforcement actions.

Peruvian Foreign Ministry officials confirmed that the seven Peruvian citizens were among those transferred from U.S. Custody to Congolese authorities. The individuals had been detained in the United States on immigration-related grounds before being removed under expedited procedures. Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it was notified of the transfers and is providing consular assistance to the affected nationals, including legal support and communication with their families.

The expulsions were first reported by Peruvian news outlets El Comercio and Gestión, which cited official sources confirming the removal of the seven Peruvians. Additional reporting from Agencia Peruana de Noticias (ANDINA) indicated that Peru’s Chancellery coordinated the transfer of the nationals from U.S. Immigration custody to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, though it did not disclose the specific legal basis for their removal or the conditions of their detention prior to expulsion.

Related cases emerged from neighboring countries, with Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry confirming that an Ecuadorian national had also been deported by U.S. Authorities to the Congo despite requesting not to be sent to his country of origin. The individual, whose identity was not disclosed, reportedly asked to remain in the United States or be sent to a third country but was instead transferred to Kinshasa. Ecuadorian officials said they were informed of the transfer after the fact and are assessing the situation under international migration protocols.

Prensa Latina reported that the group of migrants sent to the Congo represented the first cohort transferred under a bilateral migration agreement between the United States and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, neither the U.S. Department of Homeland Security nor Congolese immigration authorities have publicly confirmed the existence of such an agreement, and no official treaty or memorandum of understanding detailing the terms of migrant transfers has been published in official gazettes or international registries as of April 2026.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, a country grappling with ongoing conflict in its eastern regions, humanitarian crises, and limited state infrastructure, is not typically a destination for deported migrants from Western nations. Human rights organizations have previously raised concerns about the safety and feasibility of returning individuals to countries with weak asylum systems and ongoing instability, though no specific allegations of mistreatment have been made public in these cases.

U.S. Immigration authorities have not issued a public statement explaining the rationale for selecting the Congo as a destination for these removals. Standard U.S. Deportation procedures typically prioritize removal to an individual’s country of citizenship or, in cases where that is not feasible, to a country with which the U.S. Has a repatriation agreement. The absence of a publicly acknowledged agreement with the Congo raises questions about the legal basis for the transfers.

As of April 18, 2026, the seven Peruvian migrants remain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Peruvian consular officials have not disclosed their exact location or conditions but affirmed that they are in contact with local authorities to ensure their safety and access to basic services. No further details about the other eight individuals in the group of 15 have been made available by official sources.