Most people being deported by the United States to Liberia under a new third-country deportation agreement will come from Latin America, including Venezuela, Cuba and Colombia, Liberia’s information minister said Thursday.
The West African country agreed this week to accept up to 1,200 deportees over the next 12 months, making it the latest African nation to participate in the Trump administration’s efforts to accelerate the removal of migrants who cannot legally be returned to their home countries.
Liberia’s Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah said most of those being transferred were from Latin American countries. The first group of 20 deportees is expected to arrive in Liberia on Thursday, although their nationalities have not been disclosed.
Many of the deportees have received legal protection from repatriation after U.S. immigration judges determined they could face torture or other abuses in their home countries.
Liberia said the deportees would be received “as guests”, would be free to leave and could apply for asylum in the country. The International Organization for Migration and the U.N. refugee agency are expected to assist with their integration and support.
The Liberian government said it was not seeking direct compensation for accepting the deportees but would receive support to manage the programme and strengthen its migration system. The United States has already provided $5 million to Liberia this year for migration management activities.
Rights groups have criticized U.S. third-country deportation agreements, arguing that the arrangements lack transparency and could expose vulnerable migrants to further risks.
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