First US deportees arrive in Liberia under new agreement

Liberia has become the latest African nation to agree to accept deportees under the U.S. immigration crackdown, with the first group of 20 foreign nationals arriving on Thursday. The plane carrying the individuals landed at the country's international airport near the capital, Monrovia, shortly before 1:00 p.m. local time. Staff from the Liberian Commission on Repatriation, Resettlement and Reintegration were present to assist the arrivals, though reporters were kept at a distance and could not speak with them.

This arrival follows Liberia's announcement on Tuesday that it would accept up to 1,200 deportees from the U.S. within a year. The government clarified that these individuals are "free to depart the country when they so desire" or may apply for asylum. Crucially, the Liberian government asserted that it "has not demanded or received any compensation or promise of rewards in exchange for its consent to participate in the programme."

The deportations are part of an expanded policy under U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, which targets individuals with legal protections who might fear persecution in their home countries. U.S. law prohibits sending such individuals directly home if they face persecution, a constraint Washington is seeking to navigate through agreements with third countries.

Liberia's decision places it alongside other African nations that have agreed to take in migrants facing deportation from the U.S. The specifics of the agreement and the backgrounds of the initial 20 arrivals remain unclear, as direct communication with the deportees was not permitted.