Key facts
- Liberia will accept up to 1,200 third-country deportees from the U.S. within the next year.
- An initial group of 20 deportees is scheduled to arrive in Liberia on Thursday.
- The deportees are citizens or nationals of African and Western Hemisphere countries.
- U.S. immigration judges had previously ruled that these individuals risked torture or abuse if repatriated.
- Liberia stated that some deportees may seek asylum in the country.
- Other African nations, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Ghana, and Sierra Leone, have similar agreements with the U.S.
Liberia has agreed to accept up to 1,200 third-country deportees from the United States over the next year, according to a government statement. An initial group of 20 deportees is expected to arrive in the West African nation on Thursday.
This agreement marks the latest in a series of deals made by the Trump administration with African governments to deport individuals who cannot be legally sent back to their home countries. In many cases, these deportees had obtained legal protection against repatriation in the U.S. after immigration judges determined they faced risks of torture or other abuses.
The Liberian government stated that the deportees will include citizens or nationals of African and Western Hemisphere countries who are medically cleared for travel. The statement also noted that some individuals may wish to seek asylum in Liberia.
Washington has defended these agreements as lawful, although rights groups and advocates have expressed concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the details of these deals and the ultimate repatriation of many deportees. Other African nations that have entered into similar agreements with the U.S. include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Ghana, and Sierra Leone.