United States begins third-country deportations to Liberia

The United States has commenced a third-country deportation program, sending the first group of 20 deportees to Liberia. Under this arrangement, Liberia has agreed to receive up to 1,200 third-country nationals over the next 12 months. The group includes individuals from Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America, including nationals from Venezuela, Cuba, and Colombia.

During the initial flight on August 20, 2026, six individuals—comprising four Cuban men, one Brazilian man, and one Cameroonian woman—refused to disembark in Liberia, stating the country was not their own and that they would face danger there. Following their resistance, these six individuals were diverted and flown to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, another nation with a deportation agreement with the United States.

Advocates and legal experts have raised concerns regarding the legality and humanitarian impact of these agreements, suggesting they may serve as a loophole to return asylum seekers to dangerous regions. Reports from Malabo indicate that the diverted group is being held in a hotel with approximately 40 other migrants, with advocates citing concerns over medical care and the treatment of detainees.