Liberia Receives First U.S. Deportees Under New Agreement

Liberia has received its first group of deportees from the United States under a controversial new agreement, landing roughly 20 migrants at Roberts International Airport near the capital, Monrovia, on Thursday, August 20, 2026. The flight, which departed from Louisiana and stopped in Senegal, marked the implementation of a deal in which Liberia has agreed to accept up to 1,200 third-country deportees from the U.S. over the next year.

According to Liberian Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah, the deportees were nationals from various countries, including several from Latin American nations such as Venezuela, Cuba, and Colombia. Upon arrival, a small group of the migrants resisted disembarking from the aircraft. Officials confirmed that the individuals were eventually escorted off the plane by authorities, though their current whereabouts remain unknown.

The government of Liberia has characterized the arrangement as a humanitarian gesture, stating the arrivals reflect its long-standing role as a sanctuary for displaced people. In a statement, Liberian officials emphasized that the deportees are not criminals and are being received as "guests of the Republic of Liberia." The...