Liberia To Accept Up To 1,200 US Deportees Over One Year

Liberia has agreed to accept up to 1,200 third-country deportees from the US over the next year, with the first 20 expected to arrive Thursday. The deportees will be received as guests and can leave Liberia or apply for asylum. The deal is part of the Trump administration's broader effort to transfer migrants who cannot legally be returned to their home countries.

Liberia has agreed to accept up to 1,200 third-country deportees from the United States over the next 12 months, as Washington expands efforts to transfer migrants who cannot be returned directly to their countries of origin.
The Liberian government said the first group of 20 people is expected to arrive on Thursday.

DEPORTEES TO BE RECEIVED AS GUESTS

According to the Liberian government, those transferred from the US will be received as guests and will be free to leave Liberia if they choose.
They will also have the option of applying for asylum in Liberia.
The government said the group could include nationals from African countries and countries in the Western Hemisphere, provided they are medically cleared to travel.
Liberia said it had not demanded or received direct financial compensation from Washington for accepting the deportees.
However, the government said it would receive support to help manage the programme and strengthen its wider migration system.

PART OF WIDER US DEPORTATION POLICY

The agreement comes as the administration of US President Donald Trump seeks arrangements with third countries willing to receive migrants who cannot legally be sent back to their home countries.
In many cases, US courts have blocked deportations because migrants could face torture, persecution or other serious abuses if returned.
The US government has defended third-country deportation agreements as lawful, while human rights organisations have raised concerns about a lack of transparency and the treatment of deportees after their transfer.
Details about the nationalities and circumstances of the people expected to be sent to Liberia were not immediately available.

LIBERIA HIGHLIGHTS HISTORY OF ACCEPTING REFUGEES

Liberia's government linked the agreement to the country's history as a destination for people seeking refuge.
The government pointed to Liberia's 19th-century history as a settlement for freed African Americans from the United States and its longstanding role in receiving people fleeing political and other crises.
The announcement follows a visit by Liberian President Joseph Boakai to the White House about a year ago, where he held talks with Trump alongside other African leaders.

OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES HAVE SIGNED SIMILAR DEALS

Liberia joins several African countries that have reached similar arrangements with the United States.
Countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Ghana and Sierra Leone have agreed to receive certain migrants deported from the US.
The arrangements have generated debate over whether third-country transfers provide a practical solution to difficult deportation cases or simply shift responsibility for vulnerable migrants to countries that may have fewer resources to manage them.

DEBATE OVER THIRD-COUNTRY DEPORTATIONS

Liberia's agreement comes amid growing international interest in third-country migration arrangements.
The European Union is also considering plans involving so-called return hubs, which could allow rejected asylum seekers to be transferred to third countries under specific conditions.
For Liberia, the immediate challenge will be managing the arrival and legal status of the deportees while ensuring that those who seek protection have access to an appropriate asylum process.
The programme is expected to remain under close scrutiny as the first group arrives and the United States and Liberia begin implementing the agreement.