Monrovia — The first batch of 20 deportees from the United States arrived in Liberia on Thursday through Roberts International Airport, marking the start of an arrangement under which the Liberian Government says up to 1,200 people could be transferred to the country over the next year.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh
The arrivals are part of an agreement between Liberia and the United States for the “dignified, safe and timely” transfer of persons being removed from the United States.
Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah said the arrangement is based on an exchange of notes between the two governments dated September 4 and September 10, 2025.
According to Piah, Liberia has agreed to accept up to 1,200 people within a year. The individuals are third-country nationals, including citizens or nationals of African and Western Hemisphere countries, some of whom may wish to seek asylum in Liberia.
The government said those transferred under the arrangement must be medically authorized to travel.
Authorities said preparations had been made for the first group’s reception at Roberts International Airport and their stay in Liberia, describing the arrangement as part of efforts to provide a safe place for the individuals while strengthening bilateral relations between Liberia and the United States.
However, the arrival of the first group was conducted with tight security and limited public access.
FrontPage Africa reporters at Roberts International Airport observed the 20 deportees being shielded from public view before they were quietly escorted onto a minibus and transported toward Monrovia.
The group was accompanied by officers of the Liberia National Police and the Liberia Immigration Service.
The government has not publicly disclosed the identities of the deportees, their countries of origin, or details regarding where they will be accommodated during their stay in Liberia.
The arrival comes days after the Liberian Government formally announced the transfer arrangement, saying it had made the necessary preparations to receive the first group.
The government has maintained that the arrangement is intended to ensure the safe and dignified reception of persons being removed from the United States while deepening cooperation between the two countries.
The transfer of up to 1,200 people over a one-year period is expected to place Liberia at the center of growing international attention over U.S. deportation arrangements involving third-country nationals.
