First US deportees arrive in Liberia under new third-country deal

The United States has deported its first group of migrants to Liberia under an agreement that allows Washington to send people to the West African country even if they are not Liberian nationals.

20 deportees arrived Thursday at Roberts International Airport near Monrovia, marking the first known transfer under the arrangement, which allows Liberia to receive up to 1,200 third-country nationals.

According to Liberian Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah, those deported to Liberia could include nationals from Africa, North America, South America and the Caribbean.

The US State Department declined to comment specifically on the deportations, saying only that carrying out President Donald Trump's immigration policies remains a "top priority." The Department of Homeland Security also declined to confirm the transfers, citing operational security concerns.

The use of third-country deportation agreements has drawn criticism from rights groups, particularly over concerns that migrants may be sent to countries where they have no ties and could face risks to their safety.

Third Country Deportation Watch, a project by Refugees International and Human Rights First, says that the Trump administration has reached agreements with at least 35 countries to accept deportees from other nations, including 14 African countries. More than 23,000 people have reportedly been deported to 26 countries under such arrangements.

The State Department previously confirmed that Liberia had agreed to receive non-Liberian deportees. However, a six-page agreement signed in September 2025 does not specify how many people Liberia would accept or which nationalities would be covered.