Liberia agrees to accept 1,200 foreign deportees from the US

Liberia has agreed to accept up to 1,200 foreigners deported from the US over the next year in one of the biggest deals agreed so far by Washington as it continues its clampdown on illegal migration.

Such agreements with other countries have often involved people who are legally protected from returning to their own countries, for reasons such as persecution. It is not clear if those coming to Liberia have protection orders.

"The government wants to emphasise that those being brought to Liberia are being received as guests," Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah said.

An initial group of 20 are due to land on Thursday and would be free to go when they wished or could apply for asylum, he said.

None of the deportees were criminals or facing prosecution in the US or Liberia, Piah said.

They were being accepted "in keeping with Liberia's long-standing tradition of being a country that has provided shelter to all those seeking refuge and protection from persecution, wars and other forms of conflict," the minister added, stressing it was a humanitarian arrangement.

No information has been provided about the nationalities of the deportees.

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