Monrovia, Liberia – The Liberian government confirmed Tuesday that it will take up to 1,200 illegal immigrants deported from the United States within the next twelve months. The agreement, reached during the Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement, is being presented as a humanitarian gesture.
First arrivals and program details
Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah told reporters the initial group of 20 deportees is slated to arrive on Thursday. The broader cohort will include individuals from Africa, North America, South America and the Caribbean. Piah emphasized that the arrivals will be treated “as guests,” allowing them to leave Liberia at any time and to apply for asylum while in the country.
Support and screening
The United States will provide logistical assistance to help Liberia manage the program and strengthen its migration system. Liberia’s Justice Minister Natu Oswald Tweh said the government has already screened the incoming migrants, noting that most have immigration violations or offenses, but are not criminally prosecuted in either the United States or Liberia.
Historical context and legal framework
Liberia highlighted its historic ties to the United States, recalling its 19th‑century founding as a settlement for free and formerly enslaved Black Americans. The agreement states Liberia will not return a transferred person to their home country while a protection claim is pending, and both nations intend to comply with refugee and anti‑torture obligations.
The Trump administration has defended third‑country removal agreements as lawful under federal immigration statutes, and the Supreme Court recently stayed a lower‑court order that sought additional procedural safeguards for such removals.
Broader implications
Rights groups warn that sending migrants to countries they have never visited could expose them to safety risks and increase pressure to return to their original homelands. So far, the United States has arranged similar deals with several African nations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Ghana and Sierra Leone.
Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
