Libya is once again drawing international attention, this time not for its long-standing conflict or political instability, but as a possible destination in former U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration strategy. Amid renewed efforts to tighten U.S. borders, reports suggest the Trump team is engaging in behind-the-scenes diplomacy to persuade Libya’s rival governments to accept deported migrants from Latin America and Southeast Asia. The plan, however, is sparking strong condemnation from human rights advocates and foreign policy experts.
Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has struggled with deep political divisions and lawlessness, leaving it fragmented between two competing administrations—one based in Tripoli and the other in the east, led by military commander Khalifa Haftar. The fragile state has become a dangerous transit zone for African migrants trying to reach Europe, with many falling victim to detention, abuse, and trafficking.
Now, Libya’s instability is at risk of being weaponized in global immigration policy. Human rights groups argue that using Libya as a destination for rejected migrants violates international law and exposes vulnerable people to inhumane conditions. “Libya is not a safe third country. It is not even a safe first country for its own citizens,” says Abdelatif Saleh, a Libyan researcher. “This move treats Libya’s chaos as a strategic opportunity.”
Foreign policy expert Federico Manfredi Firmian from the Italian Institute for International Political Studies notes that Trump’s zero-tolerance immigration agenda aims to maximize deterrence, regardless of humanitarian or legal implications. Sending deportees to a nation plagued by conflict and human rights abuses would amplify the risks migrants already face, he warns.
Despite Libya’s ongoing turmoil and lack of a functioning state apparatus, the U.S. is reportedly pushing ahead with efforts to secure agreements with local authorities. These covert and overt negotiations, exposed by outlets such as Reuters and the New York Times, have fueled global concern that the deportation strategy may not only fail to address migration challenges but further entrench Libya’s crisis.
As discussions continue behind closed doors, critics say turning Libya into a dumping ground for unwanted migrants could backfire politically and morally, deepening the suffering in an already devastated region while undermining international standards of refugee protection.
Leave a comment