Ivory Coast recently turned down a US proposal to accept individuals deported from the United States who are not necessarily Ivorian nationals. The behind-the-scenes dynamics reveal a complex interplay of diplomatic pressure, financial incentives, and legal challenges that shape Washington’s third-country deportation strategy.

In mid-June 2026, a US State Department official traveled to Abidjan as part of a diplomatic tour across West and Central Africa. Christian Ehrhardt, who leads the State Department’s Office of Remigration, was on a mission to persuade several African governments to take in deportees from the US even though they are not citizens of those countries.

According to an investigation by The Washington Post, the talks in Abidjan did not succeed. Ivorian authorities reportedly rejected the American proposal, marking a significant setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to expand third-country deportations.

A new US policy on third-country deportations

This approach is part of a broader policy by the Trump administration to develop deportations to third countries. The principle is relatively novel: a person can be deported from the US to a country of which they are not a national and with which they may have no prior connection.

Citing internal State Department data, the investigation revealed that by the end of June 2026, the US administration had authorized or promised at least $410 million to facilitate agreements with 31 countries, mainly in Africa and Latin America. Since 2025, more than 25,000 people have reportedly been deported to at least 28 third countries, according to an analysis conducted for the investigation based on multiple independent sources.

Some countries have accepted foreign nationals in exchange for funding or other forms of aid. The investigation reported direct financial commitments to several governments, highlighting the economic leverage used by Washington.

Abidjan rejects the arrangement

It is within this context that Christian Ehrhardt’s mission to Ivory Coast takes on particular significance. The US official, who heads an office of about fifteen people within the State Department, was tasked with negotiating with foreign governments to accept deportees from the US. But in Abidjan, the American proposal reportedly did not find agreement.

Ivory Coast does not appear, in the US data made public for June 2026, among the countries that have concluded an operational agreement of this type.

A decision in a sensitive context

The issue of third-country deportations is particularly controversial. The US administration presents this policy as a way to return individuals subject to removal orders when their home countries refuse or are unable to take them back. However, human rights organizations and lawyers for deportees contest certain aspects of the system, particularly the guarantees offered to individuals before their transfer to a third country.

The investigation also reported that a US federal appeals court ruled in September 2026 that this policy was illegal in a case concerning the lack of sufficient guarantees for the individuals involved. The Trump administration was expected to appeal to the Supreme Court.

By Maimouna Kaboré — Editor-in-Chief