U.S. Government Asks Sierra Leone to Accept Deported Citizens of Other Countries to Lift Visa Ban

The United States has formally requested that Sierra Leone accept “third-party nationals” as a condition for lifting the full visa restrictions currently affecting the country, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Timothy Musa Kabba confirmed today.

The disclosure comes as the government navigates high-stakes negotiations to reverse the severe travel restrictions that came into effect on January 1, 2026, under U.S. Presidential Proclamation 10998.

The new measure placed Sierra Leone on a list of nations subject to a full ban on immigrant and non-immigrant visas, citing deficiencies in information sharing and cooperation on deportations.

Speaking candidly to Truth Media about the negotiations, Minister Kabba revealed that while the U.S. is pushing for Sierra Leone to serve as a destination for deportees who are not Sierra Leonean citizens, the government is proceeding with caution.

“The U.S. commitment request—indeed, I am asking if that is part of the negotiations that have been made to us for third-party nationals? Yes,” Kabba said.

However, the Minister drew a firm red line, stating that Sierra Leone is only considering accepting nationals from within the West African bloc, and strictly under existing refugee laws. He drew parallels to Ghana’s approach, noting that while Ghana accepts third-party nationals, Sierra Leone must prioritize regional responsibility.

“If we’re going to take back nationals based on the registers, it would be West Africans,” Kabba explained. “We have a refugee law… so we will look [at it]”.

The Minister also addressed the complexity of the issue, noting that during the civil war, many non-Sierra Leoneans obtained fraudulent documents or claimed Sierra Leonean heritage to gain refugee status in the United States. Now, as the U.S. seeks to deport individuals with “fictitious information,” Sierra Leone is being asked to resolve their status.

“Would you accept them come? Because… they make their way back to their countries of origin,” Kabba questioned, emphasizing that verification is key to ensuring Sierra Leone does not become a dumping ground for undocumented migrants from outside the region.