US offers 5 countries: “Accept deported immigrants”
The U.S. State Department has reportedly proposed migration agreements to five West African countries ahead of President Donald Trump’s meeting with their leaders, aiming to facilitate the deportation of migrants to these nations.
Kokcha News Agency: Ahead of President Donald Trump’s meeting with leaders from five West African countries, the U.S. State Department reportedly proposed migration agreements to these nations, according to U.S. media. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the U.S. administration is pressuring Liberia, Senegal, Mauritania, Gabon, and Guinea-Bissau to accept migrants deported from the U.S., particularly those whose countries have been slow or unwilling to take them back.
According to the WSJ, which cited internal communications and current and former U.S. officials, the State Department sent requests to each of the five countries before the leaders met with Trump at the White House. The requests asked these countries to accept migrants deported from the U.S.
Trump’s Remarks on Migration
During the meeting on July 9, Trump appeared to reference these requests, stating, “I hope we can reduce the high rates of people who remain in the country after their visas expire and make progress on safe third-country agreements.”
Details of the Proposed Agreements
According to internal State Department documents, the U.S. is asking these countries to ensure that third-country nationals are “transferred from the U.S. in a manner that is dignified, safe, and timely.” The U.S. also requested that these countries agree not to send migrants back to their home countries or any previous country of residence until a final decision is made on their asylum claims.
Unclear Acceptance by Leaders
It remains unclear whether any of the leaders who met with Trump on Wednesday agreed to the U.S. proposals.
Previous Migration Agreements
U.S. media reports indicate that the U.S. has previously sought similar migration agreements with other countries, including Libya, Rwanda, Benin, Eswatini, Moldova, Mongolia, and Kosovo. There were also claims that Serbia was among the countries approached.
Currently, the U.S. has an agreement with El Salvador to deport migrants accused of gang activity. These migrants are held in prisons, including the high-security mega-prison CECOT, known as “hell on earth.”
