Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, voiced his rejection of making Libya a destination for migrant deportations under any pretext.
His statement came in response to reports by Reuters and The New York Times, citing US officials, that President Donald Trump’s administration may deport migrants to Libya by air for the first time as early as this week.
Dbeibah accused illegitimate entities that do not represent the Libyan state—referring to the parallel government led by Osama Hamad and Khalifa Haftar—of being behind the alleged agreement.
He said that any understandings made by such entities are not politically or morally binding on Libya, adding, “Human dignity and national sovereignty are not negotiable.”
Meanwhile, US District Judge Brian Murphy issued an order restricting the deportation of migrants from the US to Libya, according to Reuters.
The judge ruled that any effort by the Trump administration to deport migrants would violate a previous court injunction prohibiting fast-track deportations to third countries.
According to the judge’s order, migrants deported without prior case review could face risks of persecution or torture if sent to Libya.
When asked about the deportation plan, Donald Trump replied: “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask the Department of Homeland Security.”
