Liberia has agreed to receive a maximum of 1,200 third-country deportees from the United States over the next year, with an initial batch of 20 individuals expected to land on Thursday, as stated by the Liberian government. These deportees will comprise individuals from African and Western Hemisphere nations who have been medically cleared for travel, according to the government’s announcement on Tuesday. Specific details on the nationalities of the deportees were not immediately provided, with the U.S. State Department noting that such information is not disclosed.
Historically, the U.S. has upheld the principle of non-refoulement in its immigration laws and international agreements, preventing the return of migrants to countries where their rights or safety may be at risk due to factors like race, religion, or nationality. However, under the current administration led by President Donald Trump, the U.S. has entered into agreements with various African nations and other global entities to deport individuals whom they cannot lawfully send back to their home countries. While these third-country deals have faced criticism for their lack of transparency and notice to deportees, they have been defended by Washington as lawful, with limited judicial intervention.
Legal experts have pointed out that the Trump administration’s use of third-country deportations exploits a legal gray area, often leaving migrants deported to unfamiliar places with few options to return to their home countries. Liberian President Joseph Boakai was part of a group of West African leaders who visited the White House last year, where Trump encouraged them to accept third-country deportees. Liberia has assured 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 was not based on any exchange with the U.S., and Monrovia was not seeking compensation for hosting the deportees.
In a recent report, Senate Democrats criticized such deportation agreements as exploitative, highlighting that deals with countries like Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini, and Palau had cost American taxpayers millions of dollars. They raised concerns about deportation being used as leverage through secret negotiations and coercive tactics. Besides Liberia, other African nations that have accepted third-country deportees from the U.S. include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Ghana, and Sierra Leone.
The U.S. administration’s deportation efforts are part of a broader strategy to decrease the foreign-born population in the country. Measures include encouraging unauthorized residents to self-deport and revoking visas from a significant number of foreign nationals. Recent court decisions have allowed the administration to terminate legal protections, such as the temporary protected status (TPS), granted to thousands of individuals from countries like Ethiopia, South Sudan, Myanmar, and Somalia. This move aligns with the administration’s stance that TPS was never intended as a permanent solution, and recipients could have pursued asylum upon arrival.
Critics, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, have expressed concerns over the termination of TPS protections, citing potential negative impacts on the economy and various sectors that rely on immigrant workers. The debate surrounding immigration policies continues to be a contentious issue with implications for both domestic and international relations.