The U.S. diplomat arrived in West Africa in June, quietly visiting officials in several countries along the Atlantic coast. Christian Ehrhardt, a career State Department official, led this initiative as part of the Office of Remigration. His role is to persuade countries to accept migrants deported from the U.S., even if they are not citizens of those countries. This approach reflects the hard-line immigration policy of the Trump administration.

Since its inception, Ehrhardt’s Office of Remigration secured agreements with 31 countries by June, valued at approximately $410 million. These are mostly in Africa and Latin America, following directives from aides like Stephen Miller.

Authorities granted financial aid totaling $81 million to 13 countries. This assistance is often directed to authoritarian regimes, bypassing standard human rights safeguards. Such measures invert U.S. policy from resettling refugees to expelling them. Previously made payments to humanitarian agencies have been repurposed to assist these agreements.

Each country’s terms vary. Some, such as Uganda, accept only African nationals, while others, like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, do the opposite. Complexities arise with human rights reports highlighting serious abuses in partner countries.

“We want this done yesterday. We don’t want any hurdles; whatever those are, figure them out,” said one former staffer.

Efforts to expedite financial payments rely on executive authority to sidestep foreign aid restrictions. However, using these powers for deportations contradicts Congress’s intended purpose for humanitarian aid.

The deportation project involved investigative journalists and internal reports indicating serious issues. Allegations include inhumane treatment of deportees, such as in Equatorial Guinea. These have drawn international criticism.

Ehrhardt’s team faces increased demands to close deals with more countries worldwide. Despite worrying conditions, the focus remains on expanding these agreements quickly.