On 7 May several media outlets, including American outlets, reported that three US officials said the day before that the US administration may deport migrants to Libya as part of its crackdown on illegal migrants. Two of the officials allegedly said that the US Air Force could fly migrants to North Africa as early as 7 May, but stressed that the plans might change.
On the same day, a federal judge from Massachusetts temporarily blocked the US government from so-called ‘third-country removals’ ‘including but not limited to Libya and Saudia [sic] Arabia’ until targeted immigrants have received a prior written notice and a meaningful chance to challenge the action in court. This was in response to an emergency filing from attorneys for a group of Laotian, Vietnamese and Filipino immigrants who feared being deported to Libya on this day.
When President Trump was asked at a press conference if the US is sending migrants to Libya, he replied, ‘I don’t know. You will have to ask Homeland Security.’ The Government of National Unity (GNU) issued a statement denying media reports that there are arrangements to deport migrants from the US to Libya and affirmed its categorical rejection of turning Libya into a ‘deportation centre’ for migrants.
Government of National Stability (GNS) Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdul Hadi al-Huweij categorically denied any understanding about the deportation of migrants from the US to Libya and completely rejected any talks on this issue. He stressed that any agreement about this with the Dabaiba government, ‘which has lost its legitimacy’, is null and void. Presidential candidate Aref al Nayed called on the US State Department to cancel any plans to deport migrants to Libya.