Written by Kelly Were
Washington D.C., May 7, 2025 – In a move that is already drawing sharp scrutiny, the United States may begin deporting undocumented migrants to Libya, a country long engulfed in civil unrest, according to two U.S. officials who spoke to CBS News under condition of anonymity.
Sources indicated that U.S. military aircraft could transport deportees to the North African nation as early as this week—a plan that risks triggering both humanitarian and political backlash, given Libya’s ongoing instability and the U.S. State Department’s own “Do Not Travel” advisory citing high risks of crime, terrorism, kidnapping, and civil war.
The State Department has not confirmed the reports, and the BBC is still awaiting official comment.
According to diplomatic insiders, Libya is among a shortlist of nations approached by the Trump administration to accept deported migrants as part of its intensifying immigration policy. Others reportedly on the list include Rwanda, Benin, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, and even Moldova—a curious mix that highlights the administration’s apparent scramble to find alternative destinations amid political pushback from traditional allies.
This week, Rwanda confirmed it was in preliminary discussions with Washington over such an arrangement.
What remains unclear is how many individuals might be deported to Libya—or where in Libya they would be sent. The country remains fragmented, with a UN-backed government in the west and General Khalifa Haftar’s forces controlling the east. While Haftar’s son reportedly met with U.S. officials in Washington last Monday, both parties denied that deportations were on the meeting agenda.
Critics are already drawing parallels to past controversial immigration moves. Since returning to office in January, President Donald Trump has revived and accelerated his hardline deportation strategy, leveraging obscure and archaic statutes—including a centuries-old wartime provision—to detain and remove migrants. Just this week, the administration unveiled a new incentive: $1,000 in cash for undocumented migrants who voluntarily leave.
Human rights advocates warn that sending people—many of whom are fleeing violence and persecution—to a volatile region like Libya is tantamount to state-sanctioned abandonment. They cite extensive documentation of migrant abuse in Libya, including reports of detention, torture, and human trafficking.
As the world watches, one thing is clear: the Trump administration is signaling a willingness to prioritize immigration optics over humanitarian safety, even if it means flying people straight into chaos.
