Liberia has agreed to take in a maximum of 1,200 deportees from the U.S. over the next year, with an initial batch of 20 anticipated to arrive on Thursday, according to a statement from the Liberian government. The statement mentioned that the deportees will consist of individuals from various African and Western Hemisphere nations who have been medically cleared to travel. Specific details about the nationalities of the deportees were not disclosed, as per the U.S. State Department’s policy of not revealing such information.
In the past, the U.S. has abided by the non-refoulement principle, which prohibits the return of migrants to countries where their human rights, safety, or freedom could be at risk based on factors like race, religion, or nationality. However, under the leadership of President Donald Trump, the administration has engaged in agreements with multiple African countries and others globally to deport individuals who cannot be sent back to their home countries. While some critics have raised concerns about the lack of notice provided to deportees, these deals have been defended by Washington as lawful, and judicial intervention has been limited.
Immigration lawyers have argued that the Trump administration leverages third-country deportations as a legal workaround, often leading migrants to unfamiliar destinations and leaving them with few alternatives but to navigate their way back to their countries of origin. Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai was part of a delegation of West African leaders who met with Trump last year, during which Trump encouraged the acceptance of third-country deportees.
Liberia clarified that the deportees will be treated as guests with the freedom to depart at their discretion and the option to seek asylum within Liberia. The government emphasized that the agreement did not involve any exchange with the U.S., and Liberia was not seeking compensation for hosting the deportees. Additionally, other African nations, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Ghana, and Sierra Leone, have also accepted third-country deportees from the U.S.
As part of a broader strategy to reduce the foreign-born population in the U.S., the Trump administration has been urging unauthorized individuals to voluntarily leave the country. Recent actions include the revocation of over 175,000 visas and the termination of legal protections for thousands of individuals, including Ethiopians, who had been granted temporary protected status (TPS). These measures have faced criticism from various quarters, with concerns raised about the impact on the economy and the treatment of migrants in the U.S.