Trump Pushes African Nations to Accept Deportees Even If Migrants Weren’t From Their Countries
The Trump administration has reportedly proposed a plan to five African nations that would involve them accepting migrants deported from the United States, even if those migrants are not citizens of their countries. Reuters news agency cited two unnamed sources familiar with the discussions in reporting the initiative.
According to a U.S. official and a Liberian official, both speaking on condition of anonymity, the proposal was presented to the presidents of Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Gabon during a White House visit on Wednesday.
The White House and official spokespeople for the five African nations have not responded to requests for comment on the issue. It remains unclear whether any of the countries have agreed to the plan.
Since returning to office, President Trump has prioritized the acceleration of deportations. This strategy has included exploring the possibility of transferring migrants to third countries when logistical difficulties or other delays prevent their return to their countries of origin.
Eight migrants – citizens of Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Sudan, and Vietnam, according to their legal representatives – arrived in South Sudan’s capital on Saturday after failing in a legal attempt to block their transfer.
The U.S. official stated that the deportation plan was a topic of discussion at Wednesday’s White House meeting. This official added that the Liberian government was “preparing to accommodate” an effort to house migrants in its capital city, Monrovia.
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A Liberian official confirmed that the deportation plan was a subject of discussion during the meeting, but did not indicate whether Liberian President Joseph Boakai had agreed to the proposal.
The Wall Street Journal reported that an internal State Department document, circulated prior to the meeting and sent to the African governments, encouraged them to agree to the “dignified, safe, and timely transfer from the United States” of third-country nationals.
According to the report, the proposed plan would require participating governments to agree to refrain from returning the migrants “to their home country or country of former habitual residence until a final decision has been made” regarding their applications for asylum in the United States.
Reuters has not obtained a copy of the State Department document and has been unable to independently verify its contents.
During public remarks at the meeting, President Trump stated that the U.S. was shifting its approach to Africa from aid to trade and emphasized the strength of the U.S. partnership compared to China.
“I hope we can bring down the high rates of people overstaying visas, and also make progress on the safe third country agreements,” President Trump said.
President Trump was accompanied by Massad Boulos, senior advisor for Africa, and Stephen Miller, a senior advisor known for his restrictive views on immigration.
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