Trump administration may soon deport migrants to Libya, U.S. officials say

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Source: CBS News

May 6, 2025 / 11:24 PM EDT


The Trump administration may soon start deporting migrants to Libya, expanding its mass deportation campaign to the troubled North African country, two U.S. officials told CBS News Tuesday. The deportations, expected to be operated by the U.S. military, could start as early as this week, the officials said, requesting anonymity to discuss internal government plans.

Libya is one of several far-flung nations the U.S. government has been asking to accept deportations of migrants from third countries, CBS News reported earlier this week. The possibility of U.S. deportations to Libya, reported earlier Tuesday by Reuters, is a stunning proposition given the deep political and social turmoil the North African country finds itself in, as well as its human rights record. Since a civil war erupted in 2011, Libya has been plagued by armed conflict and political tumult.

The country, itself a corridor for desperate migrants hoping to reach Europe by crossing the Mediterranean Sea, is divided into two factions. The western part of the country is overseen by a United Nations-backed government in Tripoli, while the east is controlled by a strongman. The State Department has a Level 4 travel advisory for Libya, warning Americans not to travel there because of "crime, terrorism, unexploded landmines, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed conflict."

Libya has also gained infamy over its treatment of migrants seeking to reach Europe, with both advocates and U.S. officials finding that detainees in the North African country face brutal conditions, due process violations and even torture in immigration detention centers. It's unclear who exactly would be deported to Libya under the plans being considered by the Trump administration and whether they would be detained by authorities there upon arrival.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-administration-may-soon-deport-migrants-to-libya/