Liberia has agreed to receive a maximum of 1,200 deportees from the U.S. who are citizens or nationals of African and Western Hemisphere countries authorized to travel for medical reasons. An initial group of 20 deportees is expected to land in Liberia on Thursday, as stated by the government.
The U.S. State Department has not disclosed the specific nationalities of the deportees. Historically, the U.S. has adhered to the non-refoulement principle, which prohibits returning migrants to countries where their human rights could be at risk due to various factors like race, religion, or nationality. However, since January 2025, the Trump administration has made agreements with several African nations and others globally to deport individuals who cannot be sent back to their home countries legally.
Liberian President Joseph Boakai was part of a group of West African leaders who met with President Trump, where Trump encouraged them to accept third-country deportees. Liberia clarified that deportees would be treated as guests and could leave or seek asylum in Liberia at their discretion. The government emphasized that the agreement with Washington did not involve any exchange or demand for compensation.
Critics, including some Senate Democrats, have raised concerns about the exploitative nature of such deportation agreements. They alleged that deals with countries like Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini, and Palau had cost the U.S. taxpayers millions of dollars. The deportations are part of the Trump administration’s broader strategy to reduce the foreign-born population in the U.S., which includes urging unauthorized individuals to self-deport and revoking visas from foreign nationals.
A federal judge recently allowed the Trump administration to end legal protections for thousands of Ethiopians in the U.S., following similar decisions for individuals from South Sudan, Myanmar, and Somalia. These protections, granted under temporary protected status (TPS), were established for people from countries affected by armed conflicts or natural disasters. Critics argue that the termination of TPS protections could have negative economic implications and impact sectors like construction and healthcare. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has also condemned the treatment of migrants in the country.
