‘Nowhere feels safe anymore’
Rwandan exiles are alarmed by a proposed deal to deport migrants from the US to Kigali.
Samuel Baker Byansi
Kalisa is a Rwandan journalist who fled to the United States after surviving an attempted abduction in Kenya. When he heard about a potential deportation agreement between the US and Rwanda, his hands began to tremble.
“Nowhere feels safe anymore,” he said from his apartment in Maryland. Kalisa, who requested a pseudonym for safety reasons, has lived in the US for six years while seeking asylum. “If they send us back or hand us over, it’s going to be a death sentence.”
Kalisa’s fear is shared by many in the Rwandan exile community following confirmation that the Trump administration is in talks with Rwanda and Libya to accept deported migrants. Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe announced the discussions this week, describing them as part of Rwanda’s commitment to addressing global migration challenges.
The country has also made similar arrangements with Denmark, Israel, and the United Kingdom, although the latter, under new governance, has since cancelled its migrant relocation deal.
In response, advocacy groups are mobilising, while observers warn that deporting individuals – even those with serious convictions – to a regime accused of transnational repression poses grave ethical concerns.
Rwanda’s government has a well-documented history of targeting dissidents abroad. A 2021 report from Human Rights Watch documented over a dozen cases of violence against Rwandan exiles, including assassinations, kidnappings and threats.
Claude Gatebuke, a Rwandan genocide survivor and human rights activist based in the US, said many in the diaspora feel vulnerable. “Part of the reason why people won’t speak up is because they know the government of Rwanda has a very tight relationship with the US government.”
Rwanda has consistently denied targeting dissidents and claims that the accusations are politically motivated.
For Kalisa, each headline deepens his anxiety. “I left Rwanda to survive,” he said. “But if this deal goes through, I’m not sure survival is guaranteed anymore.”