Pheap Rom, a Cambodian national deported by the United States government, expected to be sent to his country of origin but instead found himself imprisoned in a maximum-security facility in Eswatini, a small landlocked nation in Southern Africa. Rom, who arrived in the US as a refugee in 1985 at age three, served a 15-year sentence for four counts of attempted murder. His lawyers stated he had already completed his punishment for crimes committed in the US and was willing to be deported, but insisted on being sent to the correct destination.

According to Rom, when he first heard the name "Eswatini," he thought it was another immigration detention center in Louisiana. In October 2025, he was among 10 deportees sent there, joining a group of five men from Cuba, Jamaica, Vietnam, and Yemen who had been deported in July. All were placed in the Matsapha correctional complex. Rom claimed he had no opportunity to consult a lawyer after learning of his transfer to Eswatini and that his objections were ignored, with officials allegedly telling him to "pack your shit and get the fuck out."

The US Department of Homeland Security did not immediately comment on this case, but in a prior statement labeled deportees as "criminal illegal aliens." Rom described harsh conditions: detainees were given only one roll of toilet paper and a bar of soap per week, initially allowed just 15 minutes outside daily and one phone call weekly. He noted that the mental health of some deteriorated due to fears of returning to countries with human rights concerns, with one individual going on a 30-day hunger strike.

Rom was deported to Cambodia in March 2026, after the Jamaican and Cambodian governments stated they would have accepted their nationals directly from the US. Eswatini authorities received $5.1 million from the US to accept up to 160 deportees. Government spokesperson Thabile Mdluli purportedly claimed that conditions respected fundamental rights and human dignity, though Rom's account suggests otherwise.

This incident is part of a broader policy of deportations to third countries initiated under the Donald Trump administration, which has reportedly involved deals with several African nations. Rom's experience offers a rare glimpse into the challenges within the US immigration system, including alleged due process violations and inhumane treatment, raising critical questions about the efficacy and ethics of such deportation practices amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

Source: www.theguardian.com