Man facing ICE deportation to the Congo: "I feel like a person who has no value"
Summary
Jose Yugar-Cruz, who sought asylum in the U.S. two years ago, was denied asylum but won a legal order preventing his deportation due to risk of torture in his home country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). A federal judge recently allowed ICE to deport him to the DRC, which has agreements with the U.S. to accept third-country deportees, including migrants not from that country.Key Facts
- Jose Yugar-Cruz turned himself in at the Arizona border in 2022 and requested asylum.
- He was denied asylum in January 2025 but won a legal order against deportation due to risk of persecution.
- Despite this order, a federal judge cleared ICE to deport him to the DRC.
- Yugar-Cruz does not know the DRC, has no family there, and does not speak its main language (French).
- The Trump administration started efforts to speed up deportations to third countries since February 2025.
- The U.S. signed agreements with 28 countries, including the DRC, to accept migrants deported from the U.S. but not their home countries.
- The DRC recently accepted groups of deportees and may take Afghan evacuees who supported U.S. troops.
- ICE said the DRC gave assurances that deportees will not face torture or persecution.
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