25 Deportees Land in Salone Tomorrow
Foreign Minister Timothy Kabba
By Mohamed Lamin Banya
Sierra Leone is expected to receive the first batch of West African migrants deported from the United States on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, under a new third-country deportation arrangement announced by Foreign Minister Timothy Kabba.
According to reports, the first flight is expected to arrive with 25 deportees from Senegal, Ghana, Guinea, and Nigeria.
The deportees are part of a wider U.S. immigration enforcement effort aimed at accelerating removals through agreements with third countries willing to receive migrants.
The arrangement marks a major development in regional migration cooperation and has already sparked public debate over Sierra Leone’s role in accepting non-citizen deportees from other West African countries.
Government officials say the agreement forms part of broader diplomatic engagements between Sierra Leone and the United States, although further details about the long-term framework and support arrangements for deportees have not yet been made public.
The arrival on Wednesday is expected to be closely monitored by immigration authorities and security agencies as the country prepares to receive the deportees at Freetown International Airport.
More details are expected from the government following the arrival of the first group.
