The third-country deportation program is a practice where the U.S. deports migrants with criminal histories to countries other than their home nations, often due to home countries refusing to accept them. This approach aims to speed up mass deportations by finding willing third countries to take these individuals.

The U.S. targeted Eswatini as part of expanding its third-country deportation program, seeking countries willing to accept deportees when their nationals won't take them back. Eswatini, a small African nation and an absolute monarchy, was selected despite concerns about its capacity to handle serious criminals and human rights issues.

Human rights advocates are concerned about the lack of due process for the deportees and the burden on Eswatini's limited resources to accommodate violent offenders. There are also worries about potential exposure of deportees to poor prison conditions and rights abuses in the third country, given Eswatini's political situation under an absolute monarchy.

Local authorities in Eswatini have not commented on the arrival of the deportees, and details about their reception or current status in the country remain undisclosed.

The program has drawn scrutiny from immigration lawyers and advocates warning about potential dangers, including sending deportees to countries with known human rights violations. A recent Supreme Court case cleared the way for similar deportations to countries like South Sudan, amidst concerns about prolonged detention and lack of transparency about deportees' whereabouts.