White House pauses removal of detainees to DRC as Ebola Crisis Worsens

White House pauses removal of detainees to DRC

The Trump administration announced on Friday a temporary suspension of deportations to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, citing the rapidly widening Ebola outbreak. Officials say the pause is a precaution, yet public‑health experts argue the measure does little to curb transmission. At least one asylum seeker remains stranded in Kinshasa after a court ordered her return, but the travel ban prevents her repatriation.

“The policy is symbolic, not substantive,” said a senior epidemiologist with the World Health Organization.

The decision arrives as the DRC reports a ↓ 30% decline in new cases this week, according to Reuters. Critics note that the administration has not pledged to return any detainees previously expelled to third‑country safe havens, raising legal challenges. Meanwhile, humanitarian groups warn that the pause could exacerbate the plight of vulnerable migrants caught in the crossfire of disease and bureaucracy.