Venezuelans and Cubans among deportees to Liberia under Trump deal, official says

The arrival at Roberts International Airport in Harbel, near Monrovia, marks a concrete step in an expanding series of third-country removal arrangements implemented by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to accelerate deportations. According to Liberian information minister Jerolinmek Piah, most of the people are from Latin American countries, specifically naming Venezuela, Cuba, and Colombia among the nations of origin. The initial flight carried 20 passengers after departing Louisiana and making a stop in Dakar, Senegal, as tracked by both Liberian security sources and the ICE Flight Monitor managed by Human Rights First.

Liberian Officials Defend Agreement Amid Regional Concerns

The West African nation announced on Tuesday that it had agreed to accept up to 1,200 third-country deportees over the next 12 months, positioning the deal as consistent with its founding history. Liberia’s Ministry of Information stated that the country has a long history of accepting people seeking refuge from political and other crises, recalling its origins as a refuge for freed slaves.

Authorities in Monrovia have maintained that the arrivals are neither criminals nor subject to prosecution, noting that they will be received as guests who can leave at will and apply for local asylum. Justice minister Natu Oswald Tweh noted during a Tuesday briefing that the majority of the deportees had committed migration-related violations and offenses.

Despite these assurances, immigration advocates and regional critics have questioned whether smaller African nations are functioning as a dumping ground for U.S. deportees, leaving stranded individuals in unfamiliar environments where language barriers pose immediate challenges. While Washington has defended the arrangements as lawful, legal experts note that many third-country deportees had previously obtained protection from removal because they faced torture or abuse in their home countries.

Financial Support and the Question of Quid Pro Quo

Financial transparency around the deal has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers and monitors. According to Human Rights First, the Trump administration has secured similar third-country removal pacts with at least 35 countries since taking office for a second term in 2025. Senate Democrats estimated in February that at least $40m had been spent on these arrangements during the first year of the administration’s second term.

In Liberia’s case, records show the U.S. this year awarded $5 million to Liberia for migration management activities. However, Liberian officials have pushed back against suggestions of a transactional arrangement. The Ministry of Information issued a statement declaring that the transfer of persons to Liberia is not a transaction with a quid pro quo, maintaining that Monrovia demanded no compensation beyond support to strengthen its overall migration infrastructure.

International Agency Involvement and Legal Challenges

To handle the incoming population, Liberian authorities confirmed that the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations refugee agency will assist in providing essential services. These organizations have similarly supported third-country processing hubs elsewhere on the continent.

Meanwhile, related legal battles continue in U.S. federal courts. Last October, Liberia indicated a willingness to accept Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a migrant whose wrongful deportation to El Salvador became a focal point in broader immigration enforcement disputes. Abrego Garcia’s attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, confirmed that a federal district court in Maryland has issued an injunction blocking that specific removal. The government has appealed that order, but the order remains in place while the appeal is pending, and we are confident that we will prevail on the appeal, Sandoval-Moshenberg stated on Thursday.