Abrego Garcia deportation case brings attention to African nation Eswatini

The looming possibility of Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s latest deportation led to global Google searches for the small African nation of Eswatini.

Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is largely surrounded by South Africa and is partially bordered by Mozambique. It has a population of over 1.2 million, according to the World Bank. At just 6,704 square miles, it’s a similar size to the land area of Hawaii.

Abrego Garica was originally set to be deported to Uganda from the U.S., but his attorneys listed Uganda as a “persecution or torture risk,” along with over 20 other countries, many of which are in Latin America.

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Surrounded by reporters, Kilmar Abrego Garcia and his wife Jennifer Vasquez Sura enter a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office on Aug. 25, 2025, in Baltimore, Maryland. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“That claim of fear is hard to take seriously, especially given that you have claimed (through your attorneys) that you fear persecution or torture in at least 22 different countries,” the ICE notice states.

The Department of Homeland Security posted to X on Friday that “Homie is afraid of the entire western hemisphere.”

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The name was changed to Eswatini by its king in 2018. It was part of the British empire as a protectorate in 1903 and became its own country in 1968. However, it is part of the Commonwealth of Nations, along with dozens of other former parts of the British Empire, despite having its own patriarch.

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King Mswati III, of Eswatini, addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

On Saturday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio released a statement commemorating the country’s Independence Day.

“On behalf of the United States of America, I extend best wishes to the people of Eswatini as you celebrate the 57th anniversary of your independence. The longstanding friendship between our nations reflects a shared commitment to security, public health, and economic opportunity,” Rubio stated. “We look forward to continued cooperation and effective partnerships that advance our mutual safety, strength, and prosperity.”

“Please accept our sincere congratulations as you mark this special day,” he added.

FEDERAL JUDGE TEMPORARILY BARS ABREGO GARCIA FROM DEPORTATION TO UGANDA

Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends a signing ceremony for a peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the State Department on June 27, 2025, in Washington.  (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)

The State Department currently has the country at a level two travel advisory, suggesting that American travelers “exercise increased caution,” which is the case for many countries around the globe, including in Europe and Africa.

As for Abrego Garcia, he was deported to El Salvador in March, which led to intense backlash from Democrats about due process concerns for immigrants. He was then brought back to the United States to face human smuggling charges based on a 2022 Tennessee traffic stop. The State Department maintains he is a MS-13 gang member who has allegedly beaten his wife and engaged in human trafficking.

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He is currently in federal custody in Virginia, as U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis halted the possible deportation to Uganda.

“None of those things are true, full stop,” Chris Newman, an attorney for Abrego Garcia’s family, told Fox News Digital regarding the charges and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem describing him as a “human trafficker, serial domestic abuser, and child predator.”

Fox News’ Peter Pinedo and Bill Melugin contributed to this report.