An Immigrant Deported by the US and Held in an African Prison for More than a Year Has Been Released
His lawyer said he left Eswatini and landed in Johannesburg en route to Laos after being held without charges.
- On Sunday, Laotian citizen Phone Chomsavanh was released from the Matsapha Correctional Complex in Eswatini after being held for more than a year without charge, his lawyer said.
- The Trump administration initiated this secretive third-country deportation program in July 2025, paying Eswatini $5.1 million to accept deportees including Chomsavanh, who had no ties to the African nation.
- Human Rights First reports that around 500 immigrants have been deported from the United States to African countries since the program began last year. Eswatini has received around 30 deportees so far.
- Tin Thanh Nguyen, Chomsavanh's U.S.-based lawyer, confirmed his client is now being deported to Laos after his release from Eswatini. The Supreme Court ruled last week to temporarily allow the administration to continue removals despite legal challenges.
- Legal challenges persist in the United States and abroad; an appeals court previously halted the program over due process concerns about potential persecution. The Supreme Court will hear arguments in December on the policy's constitutionality.
19 Articles
19 Articles
An immigrant deported by U.S., held in African prison for more than a year has been released
A Laotian citizen deported by the United States to Eswatini under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown was released from a maximum security prison in the African nation on Sunday after being held there for more than a year, his lawyer said.
Laotian immigrant deported by the US and held in an African prison for more than a year has been released
Phone Chomsavanh was among five immigrants deported to Eswatini — where he has no ties — in July 2025 in the early days of the Trump administration’s secretive and highly contentious third-country deportation program.
An immigrant deported by the US and held in an African prison for more than a year has been released – WTOP News
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — A Laotian citizen deported by the United States to Eswatini under the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown was released from a maximum security prison in the African nation on Sunday after being held there for more than a year, his lawyer said. Phone Chomsavanh was among five immigrants deported to...
An immigrant deported by the US and held in an African prison for more
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — A Laotian citizen deported by the United States to Eswatini under the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown was released from a maximum security prison in the African nation on Sunday after being
Winnipeg Free Press
An immigrant deported by the US and held in an African prison for more than a year has been released
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — A Laotian citizen deported by the United States to Eswatini under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown was released from a maximum security prison in the African nation on Sunday after being held there for more than a year, his lawyer said.
Immigrant Deported by US Released After Year in African Prison
NewsFinale NewsFinale Journal CAPE TOWN – A Laotian man deported by the United States to Eswatini under the Trump administration’s immigration policy was released Sunday from a maximum-security prison, where he had been held for more than a year, his lawyer said. Phone Chomsavanh was one of five immigrants sent to Eswatini in July 2025, during the early […]
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