The United States Government has reportedly approved five million United States Dollars payment to the Government of Liberia in connection with an agreement to consider accepting migrants deported from the U.S., according to internal State Department documents reviewed by The New York Times.
The payment was reportedly approved in December 2025, after Liberia committed to consider accepting migrants from other countries. The funds were intended to support Liberia’s immigration system and vulnerable migrants, including shelter, food and job-training programs.
The revelation has come after Liberia announced that it would accept up to 1,200 deportees from the United States over the next year, with the first group arriving in Monrovia on Thursday, August 20, 2026 Via the Roberts International Airport.
However, the documents seem to conflict with the Liberian government’s statement that it had not demanded or received compensation or any promise of reward for accepting the deportees.
U.S. public spending records show that the State Department made the payment to Liberia in January for “migration management activities,” although the payment was not publicly linked to the deportation agreement.
The New York Times has reported that the Trump administration has reached similar deportation arrangements with more than 35 countries. Human rights organizations have criticized the policy, saying such agreements could undermine international refugee protections.
