Liberia began receiving migrants deported from the United States on Thursday, marking the start of a new third-country deportation agreement [1], [2].
The arrangement allows the U.S. to remove individuals from its territory and relocate them to a country other than their own. This strategy expands the options for U.S. immigration authorities to execute removal orders when returning migrants to their home countries is difficult or impossible.
A first group of 20 migrants arrived in Liberia on Thursday, Aug. 20 [2], [4]. This initial arrival is the first phase of a larger commitment by the Liberian government to accept a total of 1,200 deportees [1], [3].
U.S. officials and the government of Liberia coordinated the logistics for the transfer [1], [4]. According to the terms of the deal, Liberia will receive the full quota of 1,200 people within one year [3].
Third-country agreements are often used by nations to manage migration flows by outsourcing the reception of deportees to partner states. Liberia is the latest African nation to enter such an arrangement with the U.S. [2].
Officials in Liberia oversaw the arrival of the migrants at a local port or airport [1], [2]. The program aims to streamline the process of removing non-citizens who no longer have legal status in the U.S., but cannot be easily repatriated to their countries of origin.
“Liberia will receive 1,200 deportees from the United States under a new "third‑country" agreement.”
This agreement signals a continued U.S. strategy of utilizing diplomatic and financial partnerships with African nations to facilitate the removal of migrants. By using 'third-country' deals, the U.S. can bypass the diplomatic hurdles of repatriating individuals to volatile or non-cooperative home countries, while Liberia expands its role in international migration management.
