The United States began deporting migrants to Palau, a small Pacific island nation, under a deal signed in December 2025. The agreement allows Palau to resettle up to 75 deportees in exchange for US$7.5 million to be used on public services and infrastructure [1, 2, 3].
The first deportee arrived in Palau in late May 2026 but left after about two weeks. Basic details about this individual, including the reasons for deportation and his current whereabouts, remain undisclosed. The International Organisation for Migration met with him during his stay, but he declined their assistance [1, 2, 3].
Migrants accepted under the deal must have clean criminal records, and Palau retains full veto authority over who is accepted for resettlement. Despite attempts by Palau's Senate to block the deportations on sovereignty grounds, the deal went ahead [1, 2, 3].
Palau, home to about 20,000 people across volcanic and coral islands, is a close US ally in the Pacific. The island nation’s president, Surangel Whipps, supports expanding US military presence, including a proposed radar station. Whipps said, "It’s about winning together. We help the United States, we help these nationals that need a place to go that’s safe. And hopefully they can get jobs and be happy in Palau" [1, 2, 3].
The next step under the agreement is the continued deportation and resettlement of migrants, with Palau set to receive up to 75 deportees as part of the US-Palau pact signed last December [1, 2, 3].
