The United States could begin deporting migrants to Libya this week using military flights, according to three government sources. This would mark the first time such deportations are carried out to the North African country, despite the U.S. having previously criticized Libya for its poor treatment of detainees.
Two of the sources revealed that the flights could start as early as Wednesday, but emphasized that these plans are not yet final. It’s not clear how many people would be sent or what nationalities they are. No official comment has been made by the White House, State Department, or Department of Homeland Security, and the Pentagon redirected all questions to the White House.
This move comes as President Trump continues his aggressive immigration policies, which have included increasing military presence at the southern border and pledging to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. So far, the administration says it has deported 152,000 people this year.
The idea of deporting people to Libya is raising concerns due to the country’s unstable political situation and history of human rights abuses. Last year, the U.S. State Department reported that Libya’s prison conditions were life-threatening and that there were many cases of arbitrary detention.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently said the government wants to expand the list of countries willing to take deported migrants. “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,” Rubio stated during a cabinet meeting, adding, “And the further away from America, the better.”
Another official confirmed that Libya has been under consideration as a deportation destination for weeks. However, it remains unclear whether Libya has formally agreed to receive these deportees, especially if they are not Libyan nationals.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked the deportation of a group of Venezuelan migrants who the administration claims are gang members. The government is now pushing for that decision to be overturned.
Libya’s political climate remains deeply divided, with rival governments in the east and west and little lasting peace since the 2011 uprising. The Tripoli-based Government of National Unity was set up through a UN-backed process in 2021 but is not recognized by the eastern House of Representatives.
Why is the US planning to deport migrants to Libya now?
The US administration is seeking more countries willing to accept deportees as part of its broader crackdown on illegal immigration, despite Libya’s troubled human rights record.