The Trump administration is planning to deport immigrants to Libya as part of its tough immigration crackdown, despite Libya’s reputation for harsh treatment of detainees, sources say. For the first time this week, the U.S. could send migrants to the war-torn country, with military planes potentially flying out as soon as Wednesday, Reuters reports.
While officials have confirmed the deportation plan, the exact number of people involved and their nationalities remain unclear. The U.S. government has offered no additional details, with the Pentagon directing all inquiries to the White House. However, both the White House and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have yet to respond to requests for comment.
Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU) rejected the idea, saying it had no prior knowledge or agreement with the U.S. to accept deported migrants.
“We reject the use of Libyan territory as a destination for deporting migrants without our knowledge or consent,” the government said, according to Reuters.
Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA), which controls eastern Libya, also objected. “This violates the sovereignty of the homeland,” the LNA said in a statement.
Since taking office, President Trump has made immigration a central issue, pushing for aggressive enforcement measures. The administration has already deported 152,000 people, according to DHS. Trump has also threatened migrants with steep fines and removal of legal status, using tactics like deporting them to notorious prisons in Guantanamo Bay and El Salvador.
Libya, however, is notorious for its human rights abuses. The U.S. State Department’s annual report last year highlighted Libya’s “harsh and life-threatening prison conditions” and the “arbitrary arrest or detention” of individuals. The U.S. also warns citizens not to visit the country due to dangers like “crime, civil unrest, kidnapping and armed conflict.”
Despite this, the Trump administration is seeking to expand its deportation efforts beyond countries like El Salvador.
In a cabinet meeting last Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made it clear: “We are working with other countries to say: We want to send you some of the most despicable human beings, will you do this as a favor to us,” adding, “And the further away from America, the better.”
Sources say the Trump administration has been considering several countries for deportations, including Libya and other nations with a history of human rights abuses. It’s unclear whether any formal agreement has been made with Libyan authorities on accepting migrants from other countries.
This latest move comes amid legal battles over deportations. On April 19, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked the deportation of Venezuelan migrants accused of gang ties. The Trump administration has since urged the court to lift or narrow its decision.
Libya, which has been in turmoil since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising, is divided between eastern and western factions, each with its own government. Although a fragile truce was reached in 2020, clashes between rival groups continue.
The White House’s plan represents a dramatic shift in U.S. deportation policy and raises serious concerns about the safety and human rights of those deported to Libya.
