Omanghana
Pheap Rom, a Cambodian national deported by the United States to the African kingdom of Eswatini, has been released and is being repatriated to Cambodia. His U.S.-based lawyer, Tin Thanh Nguyen, confirmed that Rom spent five months in detention before arrangements were made for his return home.
Rom was released from the Matsapha Correctional Center on March 25, 2026, and began his journey back to Cambodia via Johannesburg in South Africa. His repatriation marks the latest development in a controversial deportation arrangement involving third countries.
He was part of a policy introduced under the Trump administration that allows migrants to be deported to countries with which they have no prior connection. The program has drawn criticism from legal experts and human rights advocates, particularly over concerns about due process and the conditions faced by deportees.
During his detention in Eswatini, Rom reportedly described harsh living conditions, including limited access to proper meals and basic hygiene supplies. His lawyer argued that his detention was unlawful, noting that he faced no criminal charges in Eswatini. Before his deportation, Rom had served a 15-year prison sentence in the United States for attempted murder.
Rom is the second individual to be repatriated from Eswatini under the program, following the earlier return of a Jamaican national in September. As of March 2026, at least 19 migrants have reportedly been sent to Eswatini in multiple batches.
The broader policy continues to face legal and international scrutiny. Reports indicate that the U.S. State Department reached financial agreements with Eswatini, including payments to support the acceptance of deportees. Legal challenges have also emerged in U.S. courts, with a federal judge previously ruling the policy unlawful due to insufficient notice and lack of opportunity for migrants to contest their deportation destinations, although that ruling was later lifted on appeal.
Human rights concerns have further intensified scrutiny of similar arrangements involving other countries, including South Sudan and Equatorial Guinea, as debates continue over the legality and ethics of third-country deportation programs.
Source: Omanghan
