The Trump administration is in “early stage” talks with Rwandan officials to negotiate a deal for the central African country to receive deported migrants from America, Rwanda’s foreign minister said on Sunday. 

Olivier Nduhungirehe, while speaking on state broadcaster Rwanda TV, said that the talks are “ongoing,” though he noted that the conversations are still in the early stages and that they have “not yet reached a stage where we can say exactly how things will proceed.” He emphasized his country’s humanitarian interest in “giving another chance to migrants who have problems across the world.” 

The foreign minister added that the talks were “not new to us,” referring to the multimillion-dollar deal that the country made with Britain last year to receive deported illegal migrants from that country. The deal fell apart after Labour succeeded the Conservative party in the 2024 election. 

Mr. Nduhungirehe’s comments follow the release of leaked Department of State cables that raised the curtain on the Trump administration’s plans to expand its list of countries to which it is sending deported migrants. Last month, Secretary Rubio declared that the White House was “actively searching” for countries that were willing to accept “some of the most despicable human beings.”

The government has already approached several other countries in Central Africa, including Equatorial Guinea and Angola, according to a recent report from CBS News. Libya, Eswatini, and even the European country of Moldova are being considered by the administration. Hundreds of migrants have already been deported to Costa Rica and Panama, and Guatemala has recently agreed to take in deportees.

In March the government invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1789 to expedite the deportation of some 200 migrants who the state department claimed were members of a Venezuelan gang. The migrants were sent to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador as part of a deal made with El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, to receive and detain “convicted criminals.”

According to the leaked cables, Rwandan officials reportedly requested a one-time payment of $100,000 to facilitate accepting individuals deported from America. Another cable suggested that an Iraqi national had already been deported to Rwanda from America, though it wasn’t clear what authority the administration had used for the “relocation.”

As the administration prioritizes speed in its mass-deportation efforts, the fast-tracked arrest and detainment proceedings have sparked concerns that the government is violating the due process rights of the immigrants.

Last week, in a major blow to the administration, a federal judge in Texas ruled that the government improperly utilized the Alien Enemies Act to deport the group of accused Venezuelan gang members. The decision may tee up a high-stakes Supreme Court battle.