Liberia's information minister, Jerolinmek Piah, has confirmed that Venezuelans and Cubans are among those being deported to Liberia under a deal with the Trump administration. According to Piah, most of the deportees will come from Latin American countries including Venezuela, Cuba, Colombia, and others. A flight carrying 20 deportees is expected to arrive in Monrovia on Thursday, marking the start of a program that could see up to 1,200 people deported to Liberia over the next year. The U.S. has provided $5 million to Liberia for "migration management activities" related to the program.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
20 people from the US arrived in Liberia on Thursday as part of a deal between the two countries to take in up to 1,200 third-country deportees over the next year. The group includes migrants from Latin American countries such as Cuba and Venezuela, as well as Africans and nationals from North America, South America, and the Caribbean. This agreement is one of several made by the Trump administration with African countries to take in people who cannot be deported back to their home countries due to concerns for their safety. The Liberian government has stated that it will receive $124 million in assistance from the US as part of the arrangement, and that the deportees will be allowed to apply for asylum or depart the country freely. A US official reported that a small group of migrants initially refused to deplane upon arrival, but were eventually escorted back onto the plane.
Written for “US Deports to Liberia” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 5 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
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Leaning score +0.35 for article 1419 (medium confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-08-21
Venezuelans and Cubans among deportees to Liberia under Trump deal, official says
MONROVIA, Aug 20 -
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official → say → deal
People deported by the U.S. to Liberia will mostly hail from Latin American countries including Cuba and Venezuela, Liberia's information minister told Reuters, as authorities prepared to receive the first deportation flight on Thursday.
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authorities → deport → Thursday
The West African nation announced on Tuesday that it had agreed to accept up to 1,200 third-country deportees from the U.S. in the next 12 months, the latest of several deals the Trump administration has implemented on the continent to accelerate removals.
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administration → announce → removals
A government statement on Tuesday said the deportees would come from "African and Western Hemisphere countries", without specifying, while the State Department did not provide details on nationalities.
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Department → say → nationalities
Liberia's information minister, Jerolinmek Piah, told Reuters that "most of the people are from Latin American countries.
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most → tell → countries
He said the International Organization for Migration and the U.N. refugee agency would help provide services for them, as has been the case elsewhere in Africa.
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Organization → say → Africa
FIRST FLIGHT EXPECTED ON THURSDAY
Third-country deportees have in most cases obtained legal protection against repatriation after U.S. immigration judges ruled they risked torture or other abuses in their home countries.
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they → expect → countries
Washington has defended the third-country deals as lawful, although rights groups and advocates have said the details are opaque and many of the deportees were ultimately repatriated.
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many → defend → deportees
Liberia said on Tuesday that the deportees would be received "as guests" who could leave when they wanted and who could apply for asylum in Liberia.
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who → say → Liberia
Liberia said the first flight, due to arrive on Thursday, would transport 20 deportees.
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flight → say → deportees
It has not provided information on their nationalities.
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It → provide → nationalities
It said Monrovia was not demanding compensation but that the government would receive "support to help manage the programme and strengthen its migration system more broadly."
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government → say → system
The U.S. this year awarded $5 million to Liberia for "migration management activities."
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U.S. → award → activities
