Liberia has agreed to receive up to 1,200 third-country deportees from the United States within the next year, starting with a first group of 20 individuals scheduled to arrive on Thursday, as announced by the government. The deportees will be comprised of citizens from various African and Western Hemisphere countries who have been approved for travel on medical grounds. Specific details regarding the nationalities of the deportees were not disclosed by the U.S. State Department, citing non-disclosure policies.
Historically, the U.S. has adhered to the non-refoulement principle, which prohibits the return of migrants to countries where their human rights may be at risk. However, the current administration, under President Donald Trump, has entered into agreements with multiple African nations and others globally to deport individuals who cannot be sent back to their home countries. While these actions have faced criticism for lack of transparency, they have been deemed legal by the U.S. government.
Liberia’s decision to accept third-country deportees follows discussions between President Joseph Boakai and President Trump, during which the latter urged African leaders to accommodate such individuals. The Liberian government clarified that the deportees will be treated as guests, with the freedom to leave or seek asylum in Liberia at their discretion. Additionally, Liberia emphasized that the agreement does not involve any exchange with the U.S. and that no compensation is being sought for hosting the deportees.
A group of Senate Democrats recently raised concerns about these deportation agreements, labeling them exploitative and costly to U.S. taxpayers. They highlighted deals with countries like Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini, and Palau, which reportedly incurred significant financial burdens. 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.
In a separate development, the Trump administration has intensified efforts to reduce the foreign-born population in the U.S., including urging unauthorized individuals to self-deport and revoking visas from foreign nationals. Legal protections for thousands of Ethiopians living and working in the U.S. have been terminated, following similar actions affecting individuals from South Sudan, Myanmar, and Somalia. These decisions have faced legal challenges but have been upheld in recent court rulings.
Critics, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, have expressed concerns about the economic impact and moral implications of ending these protections. They argue that such actions could harm sectors like construction and healthcare, which rely on immigrant workers, especially at a time when the U.S. faces demographic challenges due to an aging population and declining birth rates.