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Burkina Faso’s military government has refused a US request to accept deported migrants, prompting Washington to suspend visa services in the West African nation.

Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré said he rejected repeated US proposals to take in deportees from third countries, questioning whether the move to halt visa issuance amounted to “blackmail.”

“Burkina Faso is a place of dignity, a destination, not a place of expulsion,” he told state broadcaster RTB on Thursday.

The US Embassy in Ouagadougou announced the temporary suspension of all immigrants, tourist, student, and business visas, directing Burkinabe citizens to apply instead at the US Embassy in Togo.

According to Traoré, a diplomatic note from Washington cited Burkina Faso’s inclusion on a list of nations whose citizens allegedly violated US visa rules. The US State Department said the decision aligns with efforts to combat illegal migration and strengthen border security.

The standoff comes amid strained ties between Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s junta and Western powers since the 2022 coup. The Burkinabe leader has portrayed himself as a pan-African defender against Western influence.

Several African nations, including Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda, and South Sudan have recently agreed to accept deportees from the US. Nigeria, like Burkina Faso, has refused.

Burkina Faso’s government said the US proposal was “indecent” and “contrary to the principle of dignity,” underscoring rising tensions between Washington and military-led African states resisting Western migration policies.