Sources have told CNN that the administration of former US President Donald Trump held talks with Libya and Rwanda about accepting migrants deported from the United States, including individuals with criminal records.
The controversial move was part of broader efforts to tighten immigration policy and expand the deportation of migrants, even to countries with poor human rights records.
According to the sources, the Trump administration explored the possibility of a “Safe Third Country” agreement with Libya, which would allow the US to send asylum seekers intercepted at the border to Libya for processing. It remains unclear whether the plan targeted specific nationalities.
The discussions followed an executive order issued by Trump in January 2020 that encouraged international cooperation on relocating asylum seekers. Similar arrangements were explored with El Salvador, where deported migrants could be held in detention centres.
In a related statement, Senator Marco Rubio said the US was actively seeking countries to take in what he described as “the worst of the worst,” preferably in remote locations far from the US.
Talks with Rwanda reportedly focused on receiving deported migrants with criminal histories after completing their sentences. Unlike El Salvador, Rwanda would aim to integrate deportees into society, making each deportation more costly. The US previously deported one Iraqi refugee to Rwanda in March 2020, calling it a “model” operation.
Rwanda had earlier signed a similar deal with the UK in 2022, which was later struck down by British courts. Legal challenges are expected if similar plans are implemented with Libya, especially after a US court ruled that deportees must be given the opportunity to challenge such removals.
The UN and several human rights groups have criticised Libya for ongoing abuses against migrants, including forced labour and torture.
