West African Nation Agrees to Accept 1,200 Third-Country Deportees From the United States
- Liberia announced on August 19 that it will receive up to 1,200 third-country deportees from the US within a year under a new arrangement
- The first batch of 20 deportees is expected to arrive in Liberia on Thursday, according to the country's Information Minister
- The deportees include nationals from Africa, North America, South America and the Caribbean, some of whom may apply for asylum in Liberia
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Liberia has agreed to take in up to 1,200 migrants deported from the United States who are not Liberian nationals, in one of the most expansive third-country deportation arrangements reached under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
The West African country's Information Minister, Jerolinmek Piah, confirmed the agreement to reporters on Tuesday, August 19, 2026, stating that the first group of 20 deportees is expected to land in Liberia on Thursday.
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He added that the full intake of 1,200 people will be received over the course of a year.
Who are the deportees?
The deportees span multiple regions, including nationals from across Africa, North America, South America and the Caribbean.
Liberia's Justice Minister, Natu Oswald Tweh, told reporters that authorities had already reviewed the list of incoming migrants before their arrival, describing most of them as individuals who committed immigration-related offences.
Piah said that upon arrival, the deportees "may wish to seek asylum" in Liberia or "can leave the country whenever they desire," framing the arrangement as a humanitarian gesture consistent with Liberia's traditions.
He also confirmed that the United States will provide support to Liberia to help manage the programme and strengthen its broader migration infrastructure.
Concerns over safety and legal protections
The agreement has raised questions among immigration lawyers and human rights advocates.
A central concern is that some migrants deported to third countries hold protection orders issued by US immigration judges, which are designed to prevent their return to their home countries on safety grounds.
Neither Piah nor Tweh clarified whether any of the 1,200 deportees hold such orders. Critics of the Trump administration's approach argue that third-country deportation deals serve as a legal workaround, effectively pushing asylum seekers toward their home countries despite existing judicial protections.
In several documented cases, migrants have been sent to countries they have no prior connection to, leaving them with limited options beyond returning to the countries they were originally fleeing.
The Trump administration has deported thousands of people to roughly two dozen countries that are not their nations of origin, according to advocacy groups, with approximately ten of those countries located in Africa. Many of these arrangements have been described as secretive, with details rarely disclosed publicly.
NBC News reported on the Liberia agreement on August 19, 2026, citing statements made by the two Liberian ministers at a press briefing.
US launches app helping illegal migrants leave country
In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has told undocumented immigrants to leave the country voluntarily.
The agency announced the CBP Home mobile app as the primary tool through which individuals can arrange their own departure.
The campaign, driven by the Trump administration, presents self-deportation as a controlled alternative to forced removal.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
