America deports migrants to Libya by military plane for the first time.

In a controversial move, the United States is preparing to deport a group of immigrants to Libya for the first time, as revealed by three American officials to Reuters. Two of these officials confirmed that the U.S. military may carry out an airlift operation for the immigrants to Libyan territories today, Wednesday, with a warning that plans are still subject to last-minute changes. Details regarding the number of deportees or their nationalities have not been finalized yet, but it is certain that President Donald Trump's administration is seeking to open a new front in the deportation issue, despite previous widespread criticism for sending immigrants to countries like El Salvador. The U.S. State Department itself has previously described Libyan prisons in an official report as "harsh and life-threatening," condemning "arbitrary detention and confinement" practices there, raising concerns about the safety of potential deportees. These actions come within the context of the Trump administration's strict immigration policy, as the Department of Homeland Security announced the deportation of over 152,000 individuals since the beginning of the year. The administration aims to encourage voluntary departure through threats of hefty fines, revocation of legal status, and even considers sending immigrants to controversial facilities like Guantanamo Bay prison. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed his dissatisfaction at the limited deportation options to El Salvador in a government meeting at the White House, stating that Washington is seriously looking for other countries that can host "the most wretched of humans," adding: "The further away from America, the better." The options available to the Trump administration are not limited to Libya, as other countries have been under consideration for weeks as part of an expansive strategy to deport immigrants away from U.S. soil, regardless of human rights conditions in those destinations.