MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) — Liberia has agreed to accept up to 1,200 third-country deportees from the United States, authorities in the West African country said Tuesday, in one of the largest such arrangements under the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on immigration.
The deportees will be received within a year, with the first batch of 20 expected on Thursday, Liberia’s Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah told reporters. The 1,200 deportees will include Africans as well as nationals from North America, South America and the Caribbean, Piah said.
Under a series of often-secret agreements, the Trump administration has deported thousands of people to nearly two dozen countries that are not their own, advocates say, with about 10 of them in Africa.
A key issue in the agreements is that they can involve migrants with protection orders from a U.S. immigration judge not to be returned to their home countries because of concerns for their safety. The Liberian minister did not say if the deportees expected in Liberia had such protection orders.
Liberia’s Justice Minister Natu Oswald Tweh said at Tuesday’s briefing that the country has screened the list of migrants ahead of their arrival.
“Most of them are people who had immigration violations and offenses,” he said.
They “may wish to seek asylum” in Liberia after their arrival or “can leave the country whenever they desire,” Piah said.
Piah added that Liberia will receive support from the U.S. to manage the program and strengthen its migration system.
“Liberia’s gesture is entirely humanitarian and in keeping with the country’s longstanding traditions,” he said.
“The government of Liberia intends to provide the transferred persons with the necessary support to seek protection in Liberia and to be safe during their stay here."
Immigration lawyers have said the Trump administration uses deportations to third countries as a legal loophole to indirectly force asylum seekers back to their home countries.
In many cases, migrants are deported to countries they've never been to or where they face safety risks and are left with little choice other than to return to the home countries they were fleeing from.
FILE -Liberia's President Joseph Boakai addresses the 80th session of the UN General Assembly at United Nations headquarters, Sept. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis, File)
Real Madrid produced another late comeback in the Champions League as Federico Valverde struck in stoppage time to seal a 3-2 win over AEK Athens on Wednesday.
Liverpool, however, fell to a surprise 3-2 defeat at Fenerbahce on a dramatic night of action, while Manchester City battled to victory over RB Leipzig by the same score after twice blowing leads, and Como beat Lens 9-1.
Last season's runner-up Arsenal beat Slavia Prague 2-1.
Madrid joined back-to-back defending champion Paris Saint-Germain as the only other team to have a 100% winning record after four games played in this season's competition. But that perfect start was put under serious threat in Greece.
The record 15-time European champion twice went behind at Allwyn Arena and needed Valverde's long-range strike in the 92nd minute to seal victory.
"Of course, I prefer to win more comfortably, but these games in the final minutes — only we can win them,” Madrid coach Mourinho told broadcaster Movistar.
Madrid also needed a late rally to beat Roma 4-3 last month, scoring three goals in the last 10 minutes, including a 90th minute winner from Antonio Rudiger.
AEK led through Aboubakary Koita in the first half before Jude Bellingham leveled with a back heel.
Stavros Pilios put the home team 2-1 ahead in the 75th, but Kylian Mbappé equalized three minutes later.
Mbappé then hit the bar before Valverde's dramatic winner.
“The players have courage. I’m very lucky to have players of this quality. Very lucky,” Mourinho said.
Madrid is second in the standings, behind PSG on goal difference.
Liverpool twice blew the lead against Fenerbahce before losing for the first time in this season's Champions League.
Trey Nyoni and Alexander Isak gave the Merseyside club the lead in each half, with former Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood and Archie Brown leveling for Fenerbahce on each occasion.
Vedat Muriqi struck the winner in the 89th as Liverpool fell to back-to-back losses in all competitions following defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
“The main reason I can find for why we lost this game is we conceded from three set pieces,” Liverpool coach Andoni Iraola said. “We knew it was one of the strengths of Fenerbahce. We concede from a free-kick, a corner and even from the long throw at the end. It’s frustration because it’s a difficult place to come here and play.”
Victory will have been particularly sweet for Fenerbahce interim coach, former Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt.
Erling Haaland came back to haunt Leipzig and drag City over the line after being pushed to the limit at Red Bull Arena.
The Norway striker has scored 13 goals against Leipzig and came up with the winner in the 78th after City twice failed to hold onto the lead.
First-half goals from Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres put Arsenal on course for victory at Slavia Prague and despite conceding in the 90th, the Premier League champion sealed a 2-1 win.
Tasos Douvikas scored a hat trick and Cesc Fabregas’ Como routed Lens 9-1 to make it three victories in four matches of its debut season in the competition.
Douvikas has scored in all four of Como’s matches.
Nico Paz also found the net and then instead of celebrating went and grabbed a T-shirt featuring an image of Jesús de Miguel, the Tenerife forward who died following an on-field collision with the opposing team’s goalkeeper.
Paz spent time in Tenerife’s youth system from 2014-16.
Napoli coach Massimiliano Allegri was in crisis following a 4-1 loss at Porto.
Gabriel Veiga, Jakub Kiwior and Samu Aghehowa scored in the second half for the hosts after Scott McTominay’s momentary equalizer.
It was Napoli’s third loss in four matches of the league phase; and the Partenopei are struggling in Serie A, too — having been beat 2-0 at Juventus on Sunday.
Porto has a perfect 10 wins in 10 matches to lead the Portuguese league but had lost its opening three matches in the Champions League.
Konstantinos Karetsas’ first goal for Borussia Dortmund gave the 1997 champion a 2-1 win over Real Betis.
The Greek winger entered for the injured Serhou Guirassy with 10 minutes of the first half remaining and was involved in the buildup after the break when Fábio Silva opened the scoring off the rebound from Álvaro Vallés’ save of Jobe Bellingham’s initial effort.
Aitor Ruibal equalized in the 67th to set off wild celebrations among the many visiting supporters.
Vallés pulled off a point-blank save to deny Bellingham an immediate response before he was finally beaten by Karetsas for what proved the winner in the 72nd.
It gave Dortmund three wins from four games.
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
See AP’s full soccer coverage here
Fenerbahce's Archie Brown, center, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Liverpool in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Liverpool's Alexander Isak celebrates after scoring his side's second goalduring the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Fenerbahce and Liverpool in Istanbul, Turkey, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
AEK Athens' Stavros Pilios celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between AEK Athens and Real Madrid in Athens, Greece, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe has a shot blocked during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between AEK Athens and Real Madrid in Athens, Greece, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Real Madrid players celebrate with Federico Valverde after he scored his side's third goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between AEK Athens and Real Madrid in Athens, Greece, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Manchester City's manager Enzo Maresca speakes during a team's press conference in Leipzig, Germany, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, ahead of the Champions League soccer match against RB Leipzig. (Robert Michael/dpa via AP)
Liverpool's manager Andoni Iraola smiles before the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Arsenal in Liverpool, England, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Racing de Santander and Real Madrid in Santander, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
Real Madrid's head coach Jose Mourinho watches during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Racing de Santander and Real Madrid in Santander, Spain, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
