15 men and women, Colombian, Ecuadorian, and Peruvian migrants, expelled from the United States, have been stranded for five days in a hotel near Kinshasa. They recounted spending 27 hours on a plane, handcuffed, before finally landing in the DRC.
Gabriela, a 30-year-old Colombian woman, dressed in a white t-shirt like most of her companions, expressed her fear and lack of familiarity with the language upon learning she was being sent to the Democratic Republic of Congo, thousands of kilometers away from the Americas.
The DRC has received expelled migrants from the United States for the first time, joining other African countries participating in a disputed U.S. migration program sending foreigners in irregular situations to third countries like Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Rwanda, South Sudan, Cameroon, and Eswatini.
These agreements often come with American financial or logistical support. Little information is provided by the host countries about the migrants’ fate after arrival.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) provides temporary stay permits to migrants once they arrive and offers assisted voluntary returns to those who request them.
Since arriving in Kinshasa, the overcrowded metropolis of over 17 million people, the 15 South American migrants spend their days in a hotel complex near the airport where they landed, unable to leave.
Sick and lacking care, the migrants spend their days using their phones to contact their families, unable to communicate in French, the official language of the DRC. They claim to have received some financial aid from IOM agents but have not been allowed any visits.
Concerns are rising as the migrants face uncertain future after the initial seven days given to them expire. The pressure to accept a return program is increasing, as refusing could leave them stranded in the Congo.
Gabriela expressed outrage, calling the situation inhumane and unjust. Inside the hotel walls, the chaos of Kinshasa contrasts with the orderly facade, highlighting the challenges faced by both the migrants and the local population.
The arrival of South American migrants has stirred controversy among civil society and on social media in the DRC, with differing perspectives on the impact and treatment of these individuals.
Hugo Palencia Ropero, a 25-year-old Colombian, shared his experience and concerns about being in Africa, expressing fears of an uncertain future due to lack of work permits and potential challenges ahead.
