The government of Liberia received the first group of approximately 20 "third country" deportees from the United States on Thursday. U.S. officials confirmed the arrival, noting that the group included migrants from Latin America who are not citizens of Liberia. An Eastern Airline flight carrying the individuals arrived at Roberts International Airport in Harbel, outside the capital of Monrovia.
This transfer follows an aggressive effort by the Trump administration to deport migrants to third-party countries where they may have no prior ties. The policy focuses on individuals whose home nations limit or reject U.S. deportations, or those who have secured legal protections preventing their return to their original homelands. The U.S. has previously established similar agreements with other nations, including Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
During the arrival, a U.S. official reported that a small group of deportees resisted and refused to deplane. Although they were eventually escorted off the aircraft, they later returned to it, and the official stated their current whereabouts are unknown. The Liberian government has stated it intends to accept up to 1,200 such deportees over the next year and will allow the new arrivals to apply for asylum within the country.
The use of "third country" agreements sets a precedent for how the U.S. handles migrants with legal or diplomatic barriers to standard deportation. Human rights activists, cited by CBS News, have challenged the legality of these moves under international law, arguing that the practice may return people to regions near where they originally fled persecution. Conversely, the Trump administration maintains the policy is a lawful and effective tool for deterring illegal immigration.
The broader impact involves dozens of nations that have brokered similar deals with the U.S. government, including countries currently experiencing armed conflict or political instability. In the specific case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man the U.S. is attempting to deport to Liberia after a previous deportation error, a federal judge in Maryland has temporarily blocked the transfer. Further flights to Liberia are expected as the government works toward its 1,200-person target for the year.