Zimbabwe Responds to US Deportation of Undocumented Immigrants

The Zimbabwean government has reacted to the United States’ decision to deport undocumented Zimbabwean immigrants, sparking discussions on immigration policies and diplomatic relations.

Zimbabwe’s leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has expressed his support for American President Donald Trump’s decision to deport illegal immigrants from the US, including individuals from Zimbabwe.

On Wednesday, President Mnangagwa expressed his backing for the initiative in a post on X.

Mnangagwa, whose nation has faced US sanctions for many years, announced that his government “welcomes the decision by the United States to repatriate and return Zimbabwean citizens who may have been living in the US without legal authorization.”

Since Trump assumed office on January 20, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been conducting daily operations nationwide. It is estimated that between 11 million and 35 million individuals reside in the US without legal status. During his campaign, Trump pledged to reduce this number by orchestrating “the largest deportation operation in American history.”

Although all undocumented immigrants technically commit a crime by entering the US unlawfully, both Trump and his border czar, Tom Homan, have stated that this operation will initially focus on those who have accumulated criminal records after their arrival in the country.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt informed American media on Tuesday that the U.S. government has started transporting undocumented immigrants to a military detention facility located at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

According to a report released by ICE late last year, approximately 40,172 individuals from 47 African countries are facing deportation from the United States and are awaiting final orders. Somalia leads this list with 4,090 nationals slated for expulsion, followed by Mauritania (3,822), Nigeria (3,690), and Ghana (3,228).

The expulsion list comprises 545 non-detained Zimbabwean nationals, along with 379 South African citizens, 174 Zambians, and smaller numbers of individuals from neighboring countries: specifically, 15 Mozambicans and 12 Botswana citizens.

The US government has called on countries to take back their citizens, cautioning that a “lack of cooperation from foreign governments delays and often hinders the removal process.”

Colombian President Gustavo Petro previously refused entry to two American military planes transporting deported migrants, stating that the “US cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals.”

After Trump’s threat to impose 25% tariffs and sanctions on the country, Petro changed his stance and declared an agreement to accept deportees. On January 26, Bogota announced that Petro’s presidential plane would be dispatched to retrieve Colombian nationals scheduled for deportation.

In July, following the Conservative Party’s election loss to Labour, the UK scrapped its contentious plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda. The current British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, declared the policy “dead,” standing in opposition to former leader Rishi Sunak’s assertion that it would “stop the boats.”