Libya: We will not host migrants deported from America
Libyan Authorities Deny Reports of Accepting Deported Migrants from the U.S.
According to the English section of Webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency and Al Jazeera, while U.S. President Donald Trump has denied any knowledge of deporting migrants to Libya, officials in his administration are attempting to send migrants back to foreign countries.
Libyan authorities, in a country still divided after years of civil war, have strongly rejected reports about accepting undocumented migrants deported from the United States.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that deportation flights from the U.S. to this North African nation could begin as early as this week—despite previous government warnings about unsafe conditions in Libya. A judge also warned that same day that such a move would violate a prior court ruling aimed at protecting migrants’ legal rights.
The Government of National Unity, which controls western Libya, stated in an announcement that using its territory as a destination for deportees without its knowledge or consent is entirely unacceptable.
The statement read: “The Government of National Unity categorically denies any agreement or coordination with American officials regarding deporting migrants to Libya.”
The Libyan National Army, led by Khalifa Haftar and dominant in eastern Libya, also dismissed these reports, declaring: “No migrant will be accepted through airports or ports under the control of our armed forces—these claims are fully false and unacceptable from our perspective.”
Since beginning his second term at the White House, Trump has sought to deport asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants in the U.S. to third countries. Several nations in Africa and Central America have been named as potential destinations for these individuals.
