Laotian Man Released from eSwatini Jail 14 Months After US Third-Country Deportation
Phone Chomsavanh, a citizen of Laos, has been freed from detention in eSwatini after spending over 14 months in custody following his deportation from the United States. In July 2025, he was one of five immigrants sent to eSwatini as part of the Trump administration's early third-country deportation initiative, despite lacking any connections to the nation. His attorney in the US, Tin Thanh Nguyen, revealed in a statement that Chomsavanh discovered his destination only shortly before a military cargo plane arrived in eSwatini with him and other deportees. Since the program's inception last year, approximately 500 individuals have been deported to African nations unrelated to their origins. Chomsavanh's case highlighted the controversial and secretive aspects of this policy.
Key facts
- Phone Chomsavanh, a Laotian man, was freed from jail in eSwatini after 14 months.
- He was among five immigrants deported to eSwatini in July 2025.
- Chomsavanh has no ties to eSwatini.
- His US-based lawyer, Tin Thanh Nguyen, announced the release in a statement.
- Chomsavanh was informed of his deportation destination only shortly before a military cargo plane landed in eSwatini.
- The deportation was part of the Trump administration's third-country deportation programme.
- Around 500 people have been deported to African countries that are not their home nations since the programme began last year.
- The programme has been described as secretive and highly contentious.
Entities
Artists
- Phone Chomsavanh
- Tin Thanh Nguyen
- Donald Trump
Locations
- Laos
- eSwatini
- United States
- Africa