U.S. Deports Non-Citizen Migrants to Liberia Amid Controversy

The West African nation of Liberia received a group of migrants from various countries on Thursday as part of the United States’ deportation program. This group included about 20 individuals, deported from the United States to Liberia, as confirmed by U.S. officials to CBS News.

An incident occurred when a small number of the deported migrants resisted disembarking upon their arrival in Liberia. Initially, they were escorted off the aircraft but then managed to return to it. Their current whereabouts are unknown.

The aircraft, an Eastern Airlines flight, arrived at the Roberts International Airport in Harbel, near Liberia’s capital, Monrovia, on August 20, 2026. This marks Liberia’s role in President Trump’s immigration policy, aiming to deport migrants to third countries with which they have no prior ties.

Liberia intends to welcome up to 1,200 of such deportees over the next year, allowing them to apply for asylum within its borders.

In another case, the Trump administration is attempting to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia, wrongfully sent to El Salvador last year, back to Liberia. However, a federal judge in Maryland has temporarily halted this process.

Agreements have been arranged with several countries around the world, including those in Africa experiencing conflict and upheaval like South Sudan and the Central African Republic. These countries have received individuals deported from the U.S. under these agreements.

Regular deportation flights have also been routed to countries like Ghana and Equatorial Guinea, which reportedly agreed to accept deportees from various nations.

Human rights groups have criticized these deportations, calling them inhumane and violating international laws. They argue that deporting individuals to countries they fled due to persecution is unjust.

On the other hand, the Trump administration argues that these deportations are lawful and serve as a deterrent to illegal immigration. The strategy has largely targeted migrants from countries that either restrict or refuse U.S. deportations or migrants who have gained legal protection against returning to their homelands.