The United States may imminently begin deporting migrants to Libya as part of its intensified crackdown on immigration, according to two unnamed US officials speaking to BBC partner CBS News.
The officials suggested that the US military could potentially begin flying migrants to the North African nation as early as this week.
The move is likely to generate significant controversy given the unstable and dangerous conditions in Libya. The US State Department currently advises American citizens against travelling to Libya due to widespread crime, terrorism, and ongoing civil unrest.
The BBC has reached out to the US State Department for comment on these reports.
Libya is understood to be one of several countries that the administration of President Donald Trump has approached to accept migrant deportations. This week, Rwanda confirmed it was in preliminary discussions with the US, while Benin, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, and Moldova have also been mentioned in media reports.
The number of individuals the US intends to deport to Libya remains unclear, as does the specific region within Libya where migrants would be sent.
Since the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has been fractured, with a UN-backed government in the west and military strongman Gen Khalifa Haftar controlling the east.
Gen Haftar’s son met with US officials in Washington last Monday, although both the US State Department and a Libyan spokesperson stated that deportations were not the subject of the meeting.
Since returning to office in January, President Trump has initiated a large-scale deportation campaign, at times employing contentious methods, including the invocation of a centuries-old wartime law. Earlier this week, the US government offered migrants residing in the country illegally a payment of $1,000 to voluntarily leave.
The prospect of deporting migrants to Libya, a country with a long history of conflict and significant security challenges, is expected to raise serious human rights concerns among international organisations and advocacy groups.
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