Pheap R.: Cambodian refugee deported to Eswatini, held five months without charges
Pheap Rom, a Cambodian national and U.S. resident since 1985, was deported to Eswatini in 2024, held five months without charges, then repatriated to Cambodia in March 2026 under a $5.1 million U.S. deal.
Mar 28, 2026Country of origin: Cambodia

Pheap Rom, a Cambodian national with permanent resident status in the United States since 1985, was deported to Eswatini in October 2024 under the Trump administration's third-country deportation program. Rom had completed a 15-year prison sentence for attempted murder before deportation proceedings. He was detained at Matsapha Correctional Centre in Eswatini for approximately five months without criminal charges in that country. Rom was released and repatriated to Cambodia in late March 2026, becoming the second person repatriated under the agreement. The U.S. has paid Eswatini $5.1 million to accept up to 160 deportees under this arrangement, with approximately 15-20 men deported there during this period.
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Sources
- Associated Press
- ABC News
- Cambodian deported by US faced ‘misery’ in Eswatini prison
Free Malaysia Today·Apr 7, 2026·archived copy
- Cambodian man deported by the US to Eswatini is being repatriated, his lawyer says
Darien Times·Mar 25, 2026·archived copy
The Star·Mar 25, 2026·archived copy
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