The United States government reached a new immigration agreement with the Republic of Palaua tiny island nation in the western Pacific, to transport up to 75 immigrants deported from US territory in exchange for an economic aid package valued at $7.5 million dollars.
The agreement is part of President Donald Trump’s strategy to strengthen deportations and reduce pressure on the internal asylum system.
The memorandum of understanding, announced after a call between Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. and US Undersecretary of State Christopher Landauwill allow so-called “third country nationals”—migrants who cannot be returned to their countries of origin—to live and work temporarily in the archipelago, as long as they have not been accused of any crime.
Palau, with a population of nearly 18,000 spread across hundreds of volcanic islands and coral atolls, faces a marked labor shortage. According to the local government, migrants will help fill vacancies in key sectors of the economywhile their asylum cases continue to be processed.
An agreement under the magnifying glass
The agreement contemplates that Palau assume the management of asylum requests, with technical and financial support from the United States, the details of which have not been fully specified.
Surangel Whipps stressed that each case will be evaluated individually by a national working group, after the Palauan Congress rejected a similar request from Washington earlier this year.
In exchange for immigration cooperation, the United States will allocate $7.5 million dollars to strengthen public services and infrastructure.
Landau assured that the aid will include the construction of a new hospital, improvements in response capacity to natural disasters, support for financial stability and additional resources for law enforcement.
In addition, Washington will provide funds for reforms to the Palauan civil service pension system and for security advisors.
The US Embassy in Koror confirmed that the agreement was signed by Ambassador Joel Ehrendreich and Palauan Minister of State Gustav Aitaroduring an official ceremony this week.
Migration and human rights
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has accelerated mass deportations, a central promise of his campaign. The administration has increasingly turned to agreements with third countries in Africa, Latin America and now the Pacifica practice that has generated criticism from human rights organizations.
Activists warn that The transfer of migrants to countries with which they have no ties can violate due process and expose them to additional risks.
Palau is also not a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.which has raised questions about legal guarantees for asylum seekers.
A federal judge in the United States recently indicated his willingness to reiterate that The government cannot expeditiously deport migrants to countries other than their own. without adequate notice or opportunity to express fears of persecution or torture.
Even so, the White House defends the measure as necessary to improve internal security and alleviate the saturation of the immigration system.
For Palau, a close ally of Washington since its independence in 1994 and linked to the United States through a Pact of Free Association, the agreement represents both a source of resources and a delicate political and humanitarian challenge.
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