On August 20, 2026, the United States carried out its first deportation under an agreement for Liberia to accept up to 1,200 people who are not from the African country, one of the Trump administration’s largest efforts yet to deport people to countries other than their own. Reporting for the AP, Mark Mengonfia wrote:
“The 20 deportees arrived at Roberts International Airport outside Monrovia.”
“Deportees will include African nationals as well as nationals from North America, South America and the Caribbean, according to Liberian Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah. Liberian Justice Minister Natu Oswald Tweh has said they could seek asylum in the West African country if they wished.”
“The Trump administration struck agreements with at least 35 countries to deport people who are from other countries, including Liberia and 13 others in Africa, according to Third Country Deportation Watch, a partnership of Refugees International and Human Rights First that relies on public records requests, news reports and other sources. More than 23,000 people have been deported to 26 countries under the agreements.”
Read the entire article on AP News.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
According to a congressional review from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and recent news reports, the specific African country payments include:
- Rwanda: Received $7.5 million and accepted 7 deportees (averaging over $1 million per person).
- Equatorial Guinea: Received $7.5 million and accepted 29 deportees.
- Palau: Received $7.5 million despite not having accepted any migrants as of reporting.
- Eswatini: Received $5.1 million and accepted 15 deportees.
- El Salvador: Received $4.76 million and accepted about 250 Venezuelan nationals.
- Liberia: Approved for a $5 million payment by the State Department in late 2025/early 2026 after committing to consider accepting migrants from other nations.
Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., founder & editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire, curated this news alert. Follow The Burton Wire on Instagram @TheBurtonWire or Meta @ The Burton Wire.
