A Coalition of civil society organisations from across Africa has formally petitioned the United Nations Human Rights Council, condemning the United State’s ongoing mass deportations of African immigrants and calling for an immediate halt to policies they say are in direct violation of international human rights instruments.
The petition, submitted to the 58th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.
Since the beginning of 2025, the US has intensified it’s immigration enforcement operations, resulting in over 120,000 deportations in the first three months alone, according to statistics from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
This marks a 42% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
A significant portion of those deported are of African descent, including individuals from Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Senegal many of whom have lived in the United States for years, built families, or held Temporary Protected Status (TPS) due to unsafe conditions in their home countries.
The Human Rights Monitors is condemning the ongoing deportations as “forced and arbitrary,” accusing the US government of trampling on the rights of migrants and undermining global human rights frameworks.
The recent spike in deportations is tied to new immigration enforcement guidelines rolled out under the current US administration, which include fast-track removals, increased home raids, and the expansion of immigration detention facilities.
