The Trump administration plans to deport migrants to Libya, a country with a Level 4 travel advisory for high risk.
SAN ANTONIO — The Trump administration is planning to deport some migrants to countries that are not their own, according to U.S. officials.
They are planning to send a group of migrants to the North African country of Libya, an administration official told CNN.
Flight trackers show that a US Air Force C-17 has filed a plan to fly on Wednesday from Kelly Field in San Antonio to Misrata Airport in Libya. The US has repeatedly used the large C-17s to transport migrants in recent months.
CNN is reporting that when asked about the potential flight, President Donald Trump said Wednesday: “I don’t know, you’ll have to ask Homeland Security.”
The State Department’s website has a Level 4 travel advisory for Libya. “Do not travel to Libya due to crime, terrorism, unexploded landmines, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed conflict,” the site reads.
Libya is notorious for its poor treatment of migrants trying to reach Europe.
Human rights groups have found detainees in Libyan immigration detention centers face deplorable conditions, due process violations, and even torture.
It’s unclear which nationalities of migrants will be deported to Libya and whether they would be detained upon their arrival.
According to internal U.S. government documents and officials, U.S. officials have approached multiple other countries for potential third country deportation arrangements as well.