Trump’s immigration crackdown may send migrants to Libya for the first time, raising alarm over rights violations

The United States may deport migrants to Libya for the first time this week, marking a significant and controversial expansion of Donald Trump’s hardline immigration agenda. According to three US officials who spoke to Reuters, the Biden-era precedent against deporting to Libya due to human rights concerns is now being reversed, with the Trump administration eyeing military flights to execute the move.

Two officials indicated the first such deportation flight could take off as soon as Wednesday, although they noted the plan remains subject to change. If carried out, it would signal a new chapter in Trump’s efforts to widen deportation destinations, particularly to countries previously deemed unsafe due to conflict or human rights abuses.

Questions over the legality and morality of deporting individuals to a country like Libya, known for its militia violence and reports of detainee abuse, are likely to spark intense backlash. Previous US administrations had condemned Libya’s treatment of detainees, including reports of torture and extortion in migrant detention centres. These longstanding concerns raise the possibility of legal challenges and international condemnation.

While the Pentagon declined to comment and directed all inquiries to the White House, there has been no official statement from the White House, the State Department, or the Department of Homeland Security. Reuters has been unable to confirm how many migrants might be included in the planned deportation.

The Trump administration has already drawn criticism for the dramatic scale and speed of deportations this year. In April, the US deported a large group of Venezuelan migrants to Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela — a move that attracted scrutiny over the conditions of return and the migrants’ legal protections.

Libya, wracked by political instability since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, has long been considered a dangerous destination for returned migrants. International observers and human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have frequently documented systemic abuse in the country’s migrant detention centres. Detainees often face arbitrary imprisonment, violence, and exploitation at the hands of both state actors and armed groups.

The Trump administration’s shift signals a hardening stance on immigration enforcement and a willingness to test international norms on non-refoulement — the principle that refugees or asylum seekers should not be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom.

While US officials did not offer a timeline or specific breakdown of the flight operations, one said the aim was to begin “establishing proof of concept” for broader deportation to other hardline destinations. Trump, who has made border enforcement a core pillar of his 2025 agenda, has also increased deportation efforts to Haiti, Venezuela, and other politically volatile nations.

The new plan is expected to provoke legal scrutiny from civil rights organisations, especially if deportations are carried out to a country where the US government itself has previously flagged systemic human rights violations. With court challenges and public backlash likely, the international community is watching closely.

As of now, it remains unclear if the planned Libya flight will proceed this week or whether political and legal pressure may lead to delays or cancellations.