Liberia has agreed to take in up to 1,200 foreign nationals deported from the United States over the next 12 months, a move that marks the country’s most ambitious participation in the U.S. “third‑country” deportation programme to date.
The agreement, announced by Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah, stresses that the arrivals will be received as guests and will have the freedom to leave or apply for asylum at any time. The Liberian government says it does not require compensation from the U.S. and will receive aid to strengthen its migration system.
No details have been released about the deportees’ nationalities, but the U.S. has been sending hundreds of people to African countries since President Donald Trump took office in January 2025. Other nations such as Ghana, Eswatini, and Sierra Leone have already signed similar deals.
Critics argue that the “third‑country” strategy sidesteps international protections for migrants and has seen cases where deportees are redirected back to their home countries. Liberia, founded in the 19th century as a settlement for freed African‑American slaves, points to its historical role as a refuge for the persecuted.
The first cohort of roughly 20 people is expected to arrive this Thursday, with the U.S. State Department yet to comment on the scheme.
