Cambodian Deportee Fights for Due Process After US Sends Him to Eswatini

A Cambodian man deported by the United States to Eswatini has raised serious concerns about due process after being sent to a country he barely knew existed. Pheap Rom, convicted of attempted murder and having completed his US sentence, was among 10 deportees transferred to the small southern African kingdom in October 2025. He joined five other men from Cambodia, Cuba, Jamaica, Vietnam, and Yemen who had been sent there in July and placed in a maximum-security prison. Rom, who initially mistook Eswatini for another Louisiana detention center, said he would have accepted deportation to Cambodia but found himself imprisoned in a foreign land with no ties. He was eventually deported from Eswatini to Cambodia in March. The case highlights growing scrutiny over US deportation practices, particularly regarding individuals sent to third countries with which they have no connection. Legal experts warn this approach may violate international human rights standards. Reuters reports that US immigration authorities have defended the policy as necessary for national security, though critics argue it sidesteps due process. The situation also draws parallels to debates surrounding nuclear non-proliferation treaties, where enforcement often extends beyond borders without clear accountability. As global migration pressures intensify, the balance between security and human rights remains precarious.

Words by: Sebastian Thorne

European Affairs Analyst