US Deports People to Liberia in Largest Third-Country Deal
You have never been to Liberia. You may have never even heard of it. But under a new US deportation deal signed in 2026, people with no connection to that country are already being sent there — and up to 1,200 more could follow. The first flight landed August 20, making this the largest single third-country removal arrangement the Trump administration has struck yet.
You are in removal proceedings, and you have never set foot in Liberia. Now imagine being put on a plane there anyway. That is exactly what happened to at least 20 people on August 20, 2026, when the first US deportation flight landed at Roberts International Airport outside Monrovia — the opening move in what officials say will be the largest single third-country deportation arrangement the Trump administration has made so far.
What the Liberia deal actually means
Under the agreement, Liberia has agreed to accept up to 1,200 deportees over 12 months. Liberian Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah confirmed the group will include not only African nationals but also people from North America, South America, and the Caribbean — many of whom have no ties to Liberia at all. Liberia's Justice Minister Natu Oswald Tweh said most deportees had committed migration-related violations and that they could apply for asylum in Liberia if they chose. In exchange, the US agreed to extend visitor visas for Liberians from 12 to 36 months and pledged $124 million in assistance.
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Immigrant rights, appeals and protective measures
Immigration lawyers say the Trump administration uses third-country deportations as a legal workaround: instead of sending asylum seekers directly back to the countries they fled, the government ships them to a third country first. A joint report by Refugees International and Human Rights First found that as of early August 2026, the administration had reached deals with at least 35 countries and had already sent roughly 23,000 people to 26 of them. The Liberia deal is described as the largest single arrangement so far. A February 2026 Senate Foreign Relations Committee report by Democratic members found that more than 80% of people sent to third countries had since returned to their home countries anyway — often at additional cost to US taxpayers.
The same Senate report found cases where deportees who had US court-ordered protections against removal were still sent to Ghana and Equatorial Guinea, and then moved onward within days. The State Department disputed the report's characterization of its enforcement record. The cost to taxpayers has been steep: the report documented payments of $1.1 million per person to Rwanda for seven deportees, and $7.5 million to Equatorial Guinea for 29 people — more than all US aid to that country over the previous eight years.
What to do
- If you are in removal proceedings, tell your immigration lawyer immediately if you have received any notice about possible transfer to a third country. You have the right to know where you are being sent.
- If you have a court order protecting you from deportation (called a "withholding of removal" or a Convention Against Torture order), document it and make sure your attorney has a copy. These orders have been violated in past third-country removals.
- If you are an asylum seeker, do not assume a pending asylum application stops a third-country transfer. Ask your attorney specifically about this risk given current enforcement patterns.
- Follow updates from Refugees International and Human Rights First, which are actively tracking third-country deportation agreements as they are announced.
What to do, step by step — see our guide “Appealing to the BIA”.
Fishkin Law Firm, New York
Third-country deportations are one of the most dangerous developments in current immigration enforcement because they can circumvent court-ordered protections. If you have a withholding of removal order or a Convention Against Torture grant, that order is supposed to bar your removal — but the Senate report documented cases where those protections were ignored. Anyone in removal proceedings should file an emergency motion with the immigration court if they receive any indication of a third-country transfer. Consult an immigration attorney immediately if you are detained and fear being sent to a country you have no connection to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the US deport me to a country I have never lived in?
Yes. The Trump administration has been using agreements with third countries to send people — including asylum seekers — to places they have no ties to. As of early August 2026, roughly 23,000 people had been sent to 26 countries under these deals, according to Refugees International and Human Rights First.
If I have a court order protecting me from deportation, am I safe from third-country removal?
You should be — but the Senate Foreign Relations Committee documented cases in 2026 where people with US court-ordered protections were still transferred to Ghana and Equatorial Guinea. If you have such an order, make sure your attorney is ready to file an emergency motion if you are threatened with transfer.
What happens to asylum seekers sent to Liberia?
Liberia's Justice Minister said deportees can apply for asylum in Liberia if they choose. But immigration lawyers warn that in practice, most people sent to third countries end up returning to the home countries they originally fled — the Senate report found more than 80% did so.
Who is included in the Liberia deportation deal?
Liberian officials confirmed the deal covers up to 1,200 people, including nationals from Africa, North America, South America, and the Caribbean. Reports indicate the first group of 20 included people from Venezuela and Cuba.