Liberia has agreed to welcome a maximum of 1,200 deportees from the U.S. who are citizens or nationals of African and Western Hemisphere countries permitted to travel for medical reasons over the next year. The initial group of 20 deportees is anticipated to arrive on Thursday, as announced by the Liberian government.
The U.S. State Department has not disclosed the nationalities of the deportees, in line with its policy. The Trump administration, since January 2025, has engaged in agreements with various African nations and others globally to deport individuals that cannot be sent back to their home countries, citing lawful grounds. Despite criticisms regarding the lack of notice given to deportees, judges have refrained from intervening in these executive decisions.
Immigration lawyers have pointed out that third-country deportations are utilized by the Trump administration as a legal workaround, forcing migrants to return to unfamiliar places, compelling them to find their way back to their home countries. Last year, Liberian President Joseph Boakai and other West African leaders met with President Trump, where Trump encouraged them to accept third-country deportees.
Liberia has assured that the deportees will be treated as guests, allowing them to leave at their discretion and apply for asylum within Liberia. The government clarified that the deal with the U.S. did not involve any exchange of favors or demands for compensation from Monrovia for hosting the deportees.
Furthermore, a group of Senate Democrats criticized the nature of such agreements, labeling them exploitative. They highlighted that deals with countries like Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini, and Palau had cost American taxpayers $32 million. Other African nations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Ghana, and Sierra Leone, have also accepted third-country deportees from the U.S.
The Trump administration’s efforts to reduce the foreign-born population in the U.S. include urging unauthorized individuals to self-deport and revoking visas from foreign nationals. Recent court decisions have allowed the administration to end legal protections for thousands of individuals from various countries residing in the U.S., emphasizing that Temporary Protected Status was not intended to be a permanent arrangement. Critics argue that ending TPS protections could negatively impact the U.S. economy and sectors like construction and healthcare that rely on immigrant workers.