First group of US deportees, out of an expected 1,200, arrive in Liberia

Liberia is part of a growing list of partners under US President Donald Trump to accept third-country deportations.A first group of deportees, out of an expected total of 1,200, has landed at the Roberts International Airport in Monrovia, Liberia, from the United States.Thursday’s flight is part of an expanding trend of third-country deportations under the administration of US President Donald Trump, whereby foreign nationals are sent to countries that are not their own.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Legal groups condemn arrival of a dozen deportees from US to Ugandalist 2 of 3US seeks to revive criminal case against Kilmar Abrego Garcialist 3 of 3Liberia to take 1,200 deportees from the USend of listThe inaugural flight carried 20 people, largely from Latin American countries like Venezuela and Cuba.After landing, the group boarded a bus and was taken away by Liberian authorities without being allowed to speak to reporters.The flight follows an agreement, announced on Tuesday, between the US and Liberia that will bring up to 1,200 deportees to the African country over the coming year.Liberia is part of a growing list of countries striking agreements with the Trump administration.Since taking office for a second term as US president in 2025, Trump has inked deals with at least 35 countries to accept third-country deportees, according to the nonprofit Human Rights First.In exchange, some of those countries have received financial aid and trade deals. Senate Democrats in February estimated that at least $40m had been spent on such deals in the first year of Trump’s second term.The US, for example, awarded Liberia $5m this year for “migration management activities”.But in announcing the transfer deal earlier this week, Liberia’s Ministry of Information denied any reports that it agreed to the deportations for financial motives.