A Cambodian refugee long settled in the United States has recounted a troubling deportation experience that saw him unexpectedly transferred to the African kingdom of Eswatini, raising fresh concerns about the transparency and human impact of US immigration enforcement policies.
Pheap Rom, a 43-year-old former US resident, says he remains confused about how he ended up detained for months in Eswatini, a country with which he had no prior connection. His case has drawn attention to a controversial deportation arrangement under former US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, which involved sending migrants to third countries.
Rom was among a group of men deported from the United States in October, transported under heavy security and without clear information about their destination. According to his account, they arrived in Eswatini in shackles, escorted by US authorities, and were met on arrival by armed security personnel.
“I didn’t know what was going to happen,” Rom said in an interview after returning to Cambodia. “I didn’t understand why I was being deported to Africa because I’m Cambodian.”
His experience is part of a broader policy under which the United States deported migrants to third-party countries when direct repatriation to their countries of origin proved difficult. Eswatini, a landlocked country in southern Africa bordering South Africa and Mozambique, reportedly agreed to accept deportees under arrangements that have been widely criticised by human rights advocates.
Under the reported agreement, Eswatini accepted up to 160 deportees in exchange for financial compensation, with the understanding that they would eventually be returned to their respective home countries. Critics have described the policy as opaque and, in some cases, akin to forced relocation without adequate legal safeguards.
Rom’s journey to the United States began decades earlier. His family fled Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge regime, one of the most violent periods in the country’s history, and resettled in the US in 1985. He later obtained permanent resident status and built his life there.
However, his circumstances changed following a criminal conviction. Rom served a 15-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to attempted murder in connection with two incidents in which he discharged a firearm, injuring several individuals. After completing his sentence, he was taken into custody by immigration authorities in November 2024, and his residency status was revoked following a deportation order issued by an immigration judge.
Rom said he had expected to be deported to Cambodia, the country of his citizenship. Instead, he found himself in Eswatini, where he described conditions that echoed his time in prison. He said authorities there appeared to treat the deportees as ongoing threats, despite the fact that they had already served their sentences in the United States.
For the first two months at the Matsapha Correctional Centre, Rom and others were subjected to strict conditions, including limited time outdoors and restricted communication with the outside world. He said they were allowed outside for only 15 minutes a day and permitted a single phone call each week.
Rom also claimed that legal access was denied during his detention. According to his account, a lawyer in Eswatini attempted to meet with the detainees but was refused entry to the facility. Legal representatives in the country have supported this claim, stating that they were repeatedly denied access to individuals held under the deportation arrangement.
Authorities in Eswatini have maintained that deportees were treated appropriately. The government stated that those held in custody were “in good hands” and had access to healthcare services, including counselling.
The case has reignited debate over the methods used by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement during deportation operations. Critics have pointed to what they describe as aggressive enforcement tactics and a lack of transparency in how decisions are made regarding deportation destinations.
In July, when the first group of deportees was sent to Eswatini, a spokesperson for the US Department of Homeland Security described them as individuals whose home countries had refused to accept them. However, Rom and his legal representative have questioned whether sufficient efforts were made to return him directly to Cambodia.
His lawyer, Tin Thanh Nguyen, has expressed concern over inconsistencies in the process. According to Nguyen, Rom was not properly interviewed in the United States to confirm his nationality and was instead processed for deportation to Thailand, where he had been born in a refugee camp.
“If immigration authorities were seeking travel documents from Thailand, they were dealing with the wrong country,” Nguyen said, suggesting that administrative errors may have contributed to the situation.
Cambodian officials have also expressed uncertainty over the decision. A spokesperson for the country’s foreign ministry noted that Cambodian deportees had previously been returned directly without complications and questioned why this case was handled differently.
Rom was eventually repatriated to Cambodia in late March, becoming one of the few individuals returned from Eswatini under the programme. Others affected by the policy may still be navigating a complex and unclear process, with limited information available about their status.
Now residing in Phnom Penh, Rom says he is gradually adjusting to life in a country he left as a child. While he describes the transition as challenging, he also views it as an opportunity to rebuild his life.
“I’m still getting used to the freedom,” he said, reflecting on his return. “I want to create a new memory here, because this is my second chance in life.”
Looking ahead, Rom hopes to secure employment, reconnect with family members in the United States, and establish a stable future in Cambodia. His experience, however, remains a stark example of the complexities and human consequences of immigration policies that extend beyond national borders.
The broader implications of such deportation practices continue to be debated by policymakers, legal experts, and human rights organisations. Questions around due process, accountability, and the treatment of deportees remain central to discussions about the future of immigration enforcement.
As governments grapple with migration challenges, cases like Rom’s highlight the need for clearer procedures, stronger safeguards, and greater transparency. They also underscore the importance of balancing enforcement objectives with respect for human rights and individual circumstances.
For Rom, the focus is now on moving forward. After months of uncertainty and confinement in a country far from home, he is determined to rebuild his life and make the most of what he describes as a second chance.
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