Libya's rival governments both denied on Wednesday that they had agreed to receive deported immigrants from the United States, asserting that such an action would violate the country's sovereignty.
U.S. officials indicated on Tuesday that the Trump administration was planning to transfer migrants via a U.S. military plane to Libya, which has been divided for years between two opposing administrations. They suggested that the flight could depart as soon as Wednesday.
The denials came from both the internationally recognized government in Tripoli, which controls western Libya, and the authorities in eastern Libya, led by warlord Khalifa Hifter.
The Tripoli-based government issued a statement rejecting “any agreement or coordination” regarding the entry of deported migrants, emphasizing its “rejection of the use of Libyan territory as a destination for deporting migrants without its knowledge or consent.”
In its statement, the Tripoli government mentioned that some “parallel entities” might have made a deal with Washington, likely referring to authorities in eastern Libya. However, it insisted that any such agreements “do not represent the Libyan state and are not legally or politically binding.”
On Wednesday, the foreign ministry of Hifter’s administration in the east also stated that it “firmly rejects the existence of any agreements or understandings concerning the resettlement of migrants of any nationality whether African, European, American or otherwise.”
Washington maintains formal relations only with the Tripoli government. However, Hifter’s son, Saddam, who serves as the deputy general commander of the eastern Libyan military, visited Washington last week and met with several Trump administration officials, raising the possibility that the eastern military may have negotiated its own deal with the United States.
During his first term, President Trump had established friendly relations with Hifter, who controls Libya's lucrative oil fields.
The potential transfer of deportees to Libya raises concerns due to the country's poor record in handling refugees and migrants. Libya is a major transit point for migrants attempting to reach Europe and operates numerous detention facilities that have been criticized by Amnesty International as a “hellscape.” A 2021 report highlighted evidence of sexual violence against both adult and child detainees.
The Global Detention Project has reported that detained migrants in Libya face “physical mistreatment and torture,” forced labor, and even slavery.