U.S. considers deporting migrants to Libya and Rwanda

The U.S. is weighing plans to deport migrants to Libya and Rwanda, marking a controversial expansion of its immigration crackdown. If approved, the Libya move would be the first of its kind.

Two officials said the U.S. military could begin airlifts to Libya as early as this week, though plans remain fluid. The White House, Pentagon, and Department of Homeland Security declined to comment, according to Reuters citing three American officials.

Details about the number or nationalities of migrants targeted remain unclear. However, rights groups and previous U.S. government reports have condemned Libya for its “life-threatening” prison conditions and arbitrary detention practices. The U.S. State Department, in its most recent human rights report, cited widespread abuses in Libya’s detention centers.

Libya has remained unstable since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. Since 2014, the country has been split between rival governments in Tripoli and Benghazi, with little national unity despite a U.N.-backed administration installed in 2021.

The Trump administration, which previously deported thousands to countries like El Salvador and detained others in Guantanamo Bay, has intensified immigration enforcement, including threats of fines and fast-track removals. As of early this week, over 152,000 people had been deported in 2025.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio hinted last week at broader deportation plans. “We are working with other countries to say: we want to send you some of the most despicable human beings,” Rubio said during a cabinet meeting. “And the further away from America, the better.”

Libya is one of several countries reportedly under review. It is unknown whether any agreement has been struck with Libyan authorities to accept deportees, especially those not of Libyan nationality.

Separately, Rwanda confirmed it is in early talks with the U.S. about a potential agreement to accept deported migrants. Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said the negotiations are consistent with Rwanda’s humanitarian approach to migration.

If finalized, the deal would mirror a now-defunct agreement with the United Kingdom. The UK had prepared housing and integration plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda before its Labour government scrapped the policy in 2024. A similar plan in Australia also fell through.

Rwanda has drawn criticism for its human rights record and its alleged support for M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Still, it continues to position itself as a partner in global migration solutions. Rwanda and Congo are expected to finalize a U.S.-brokered peace agreement next month, according to officials.