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 set to arrive on Thursday, according to a government announcement. The statement from the Liberian government on Tuesday indicated that the deportees would consist of individuals from African and Western Hemisphere countries who have been medically cleared for travel.
Specific details regarding the nationalities of the deportees were not immediately provided, as the U.S. State Department does not typically disclose such information. Historically, the U.S. has upheld the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the return of migrants to countries where their human rights, safety, or freedom may be at risk due to factors like race, religion, or nationality.
Since assuming office in January 2025, the Trump administration has forged agreements with various African nations and other countries globally to deport individuals who cannot be sent back to their home countries legally. Despite criticisms about the lack of notice given to deportees, these third-country deportation deals have been defended by Washington as lawful, with minimal interference from the judiciary.
Legal experts suggest that the Trump administration utilizes third-country deportations as a legal workaround, often leaving migrants with limited options to return to their countries of origin. Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai was among the West African leaders who met with President Trump at the White House last year, where Trump encouraged the acceptance of third-country deportees.
Liberia emphasized that the deportees would be treated as guests with the freedom to depart at their discretion and apply for asylum within Liberia. The government clarified that the agreement did not involve any quid pro quo with the U.S., and Monrovia was not seeking compensation for hosting the deportees.
Several Senate Democrats have characterized these agreements as exploitative, highlighting the substantial costs incurred by the U.S. in deals with nations like Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini, and Palau. They alleged that deportation was being used as a bargaining tool through undisclosed cash payments and concessions, exerting pressure on countries through threats of sanctions or aid reductions.
Additionally, other African countries 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. These deportations form part of the Trump administration’s strategy to reduce the foreign-born population in the United States, which includes urging unauthorized residents to self-deport and revoking visas from foreign nationals.
Amid these efforts, a federal judge recently permitted the Trump administration to terminate legal protections for over 5,000 Ethiopians, following similar decisions involving individuals from South Sudan, Myanmar, and Somalia. The revocation of protections like Temporary Protected Status (TPS) has been a contentious issue, prompting concerns about the impact on various sectors and the economy, as well as criticism from organizations like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.