The issue of migrants in Libya is a persistent and evolving challenge. While official authorities strive to return them to their home countries, the sheer numbers running into millions despite tens of thousands of deportations mean that efforts to resolve the situation face numerous obstacles. A primary hurdle is the high number of migrants who use Libya as a transit point en route to Europe.
Number of Deportations
This July, Major General Salah Al-Khufifi, Head of the Agency for Combating Illegal Migration, announced the deportation of 22,780 irregular migrants of various nationalities between January 1st and June 30th, 2025.
Al-Khufifi stated in a media briefing that the official statistics released by the Agency include: 1,958 cases of Hepatitis, 15 cases of HIV/AIDS, one case of Typhoid, 486 individuals deported by public prosecution orders, 2,000 cases based on security restrictions, 2,090 migrants apprehended during attempts to illegally cross to Europe, and 16,230 cases of illegal entry into Libyan territory.
Al-Khufifi emphasized that the Agency operates according to applicable laws and regulations and continues to execute its duties in apprehending, sheltering, and deporting migrants, in coordination with relevant authorities.
Resident Migrants
While the number of deported migrants is significant, it is dwarfed by the larger number of migrants residing in the country. Last March, the acting interior minister in the Government of National Unity, Emad Al-Trabelsi, estimated the number of irregular migrants in Libya at over 3 million.
Al-Trabelsi deemed this situation “completely unacceptable,” stressing that the irregular migration file is a “matter of national security.” He affirmed that his ministry would not hesitate to take all necessary measures to preserve the country’s security and stability.
Al-Trabelsi reiterated that irregular migration represents one of the biggest challenges facing the Libyan State due to its serious repercussions on national security and stability.
Transit Point
Despite the large number of migrants in Libya, the country primarily serves as a transit point towards Europe rather than a destination. While the international community seeks to mitigate this risk through various means, US media outlets reported on an imminent deportation of migrants from the United States to Libya, a claim denied by the Head of the Government of National Unity, Abdelhamid Dabaiba.
Dabaiba affirmed on his X account that Libya “refuses to be a destination for expelled migrants, whatever the pretext.” He added that “any agreement concluded between illegitimate parties does not represent the Libyan State and is not politically or morally binding on it,” concluding that “human dignity and national sovereignty are non-negotiable.”
Policy Decisions
In response to this reality, the international community aims to reduce the number of migrants reaching its shores. In this regard, Greece announced this July that it would suspend for three months the consideration of asylum applications from migrants arriving by boat from North African countries, in response to a sharp increase in arrivals from Libya.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that his country is “closing the route to Greece… and any migrant entering the country illegally will be arrested and detained.”
The migrant file in Libya necessitates concerted local and international efforts for effective management that does not harm migrants or the countries they transit through or aim for. Moreover, addressing this issue requires time, significant effort, and entails substantial material commitments.
