Laotian deportee is released from Eswatini prison after year-long detention

The short version

• Phone Chomsavanh, a Laotian national deported from the U.S., was released from a maximum-security prison in Eswatini after over a year.[Associated Press]
• His attorney stated that Chomsavanh is now undergoing deportation to Laos.[Associated Press]
• Eswatini received $5.1 million from the Trump administration under a deal to accept foreign deportees.[Associated Press]
• Advocacy groups report that approximately 500 immigrants have been sent from the U.S. to third-party African nations under the program.[Associated Press]

Key facts

• Phone Chomsavanh was freed from a maximum-security facility in Eswatini following more than a year of confinement.[Associated Press]
• Attorney Tin Thanh Nguyen stated that Chomsavanh is currently being deported to Laos.[Associated Press]
• Under a bilateral agreement, the Trump administration paid Eswatini $5.1 million to accept deportees.[Associated Press]
• Human Rights First and Refugees International estimate about 500 immigrants have been sent to third-party African nations under the deportation policy.[Associated Press]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• An immigrant deported by the US and held in an African prison for more than a year has been releasedAssociated Press · Wire: associated-press
• An immigrant deported by the US and held in an African prison for more than a year has been releasedABC News - International
• Lao man deported by the US to Eswatini is released after more than a year in prisonABC News - US News
• Laotian man deported by U.S. to Eswatini is released after more than a year in prisonPBS NewsHour - World