Key facts
- Liberia agreed to accept up to 1,200 third-country nationals deported from the U.S. per year.
- The first flight on August 20th carried 20 individuals, but five refused to disembark and were sent to Equatorial Guinea.
- Liberia's government denies receiving payment for the deportees, calling it a humanitarian act.
- U.S. records show Liberia received $5 million to strengthen migration management.
- Critics argue Liberia, facing high unemployment, should not bear the consequences of U.S. immigration policy.
A recent deportation flight from the United States to Liberia has ignited controversy, highlighting a new U.S. migration policy that sends third-country nationals to nations with which they have no connection. The flight, operated by Eastern Airlines, arrived in Monrovia carrying 20 individuals, but five reportedly refused to disembark and were rerouted to Equatorial Guinea, leaving Liberian authorities to question the U.S. Embassy about the discrepancy.
Liberia's government, under President Joseph Boakai, has agreed to accept up to 1,200 such deportees annually. This agreement, part of a broader U.S. strategy to manage migration flows, has drawn sharp criticism from civil society groups and many Liberians. They question why a country grappling with high unemployment and weak public services should absorb individuals with no ties to Liberia, especially when similar agreements with other African nations have involved significant financial compensation.
While Liberia's Information Ministry denies the transfer is a paid transaction, U.S. records indicate Liberia received $5 million to bolster its migration management. This financial aspect, coupled with the historical power imbalance between the U.S. and Liberia, fuels suspicion that the deal is not merely humanitarian. Critics, like Dayugar Johnson of the NGO Coalition of Liberia, argue that Liberia is being made to handle the complex consequences of American immigration policy.
The U.S. has deported over 23,000 people to 26 third countries since early 2025, with many sent to Mexico. The policy of deporting individuals, some of whom may have judicial protection against returning to their home countries, to third nations is controversial in Europe and increasingly in Africa. Reports suggest countries like Sierra Leone and Eswatini have also received payments for accepting deportees, raising concerns about the ethical implications and the potential for exploitation of economically dependent nations.