Nairobi, Kenya (Feb. 8, 2025) — On a list of 462 Burundian migrants who are expected to be deported from the United States, 11 individuals are currently detained in Nairobi, are at the center of an international human trafficking investigation, according to a press release from the National Observatory for the Fight against Transnational Crime (ONLCT).
The expulsion of these individuals, who were residing illegally in the U.S., came as a result of their fraudulent attempts to acquire American citizenship by misrepresenting their nationality according to the ONLCT. ONLCT President Maître Prime Mbarubukeye said that the migrants initially arrived in the U.S. under false pretences, first by traveling through Kenya and swapping their Burundian passports for Kenyan ones.
“These migrants used fraudulent documents to pose as Kenyan citizens in order to gain entry into the United States,” said Mbarubukeye. “Once in the U.S., they discarded their Kenyan passports and sought refugee status, hoping to secure American citizenship.”
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) acted swiftly, expelling more than 1.4 million illegal migrants from various countries, including the 462 Burundians on list, in a large-scale operation aimed at deporting the ‘illegal immigrants’.
The ONLCT raised concerns about the mistreatment of these migrants, particularly regarding the 11 individuals now being held in Kenya. These individuals were detained shortly after their arrival in Nairobi, where they are facing tough interrogation from Kenyan authorities.
“We are deeply concerned by the treatment of these Burundian migrants,” Mbarubukeye said. “The ONLCT urges the Burundian government to ensure that these individuals are treated with dignity and respect, and that they avoid facing any further harm.”
In light of these events, the ONLCT has issued two key requests to the Burundian government. The first calls for closer monitoring of the situation to ensure that the detained migrants are given humane treatment. The second urges the establishment of a regional coalition with other East African Community countries to combat human trafficking.
“By working together as a region, we can dismantle the human trafficking networks that are facilitating these illegal activities,” Mbarubukeye stated. “We must unite to protect vulnerable individuals and prevent this kind of exploitation from continuing.”
The ONLCT’s calls come on the World Day of Prayer and Reflection on Human Trafficking, an observance aimed at raising awareness about the global issue. As international scrutiny increases over human trafficking and migration fraud, the ONLCT is seeking swift action to address these serious concerns.
Maître Prime Mbarubukeye concluded with a plea for a more coordinated international response: “We must stand together against the crime of human trafficking and protect those who fall victim to it.”
