Kosovo to Accept Deported Migrants from the U.S.
Reports emerging on Wednesday indicate that Kosovo has agreed to accept at least 50 illegal immigrants to be deported from the United States over the next year.
Situated in Southeast Europe, Kosovo is bordered by Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, and North Macedonia.
This announcement aligns with the U.S. administration’s ongoing efforts to find third-party nations for handling deported individuals, as President Donald Trump continues his commitment to mass deportations in the country.
According to a statement from the Kosovo government, “The government has expressed its readiness to participate, with the opportunity to select individuals from a proposed pool, provided they meet specific criteria related to the rule of law and public order.”
Recently, there have been indications that the U.S. has been encouraging Balkan countries like Serbia to accept deported migrants. However, it remains uncertain whether those deported might include individuals from countries such as Haiti, Cuba, Venezuela, or Nicaragua.
This development follows a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court last month to lift the “Temporary Protected Status” (TPS) for approximately 500,000 migrants.
A spokesperson from the U.S. State Department expressed appreciation to Kosovo, saying the U.S. is “grateful to our partner Kosovo for receiving third country nationals removed from the United States and facilitating those aliens’ safe return to their home countries.”
“We welcome cooperation on this key Trump Administration priority,” the spokesman added.
It’s currently unclear if the U.S. will provide funding to these third-party countries for hosting the deportees, unlike its arrangements with El Salvador.
In a related development, the UK has also been considering Kosovo, along with eight other Balkan nations, for establishing “return hubs” aimed at holding “asylum seekers denied sanctuary,” a move seen as a more serious effort to curb illegal migration to Britain.
In 2022, an agreement between Denmark and Kosovo led to the transfer of 300 foreign prisoners to Kosovo’s Correctional Institution, with plans for their deportation after serving their sentences. This deal is expected to generate $217 million for Kosovo’s economy.
