The Trump administration is planning to testify a U.S. official to expel immigrants from Libya who have no legal status, a country that has long been plagued by armed conflict.

The official has no right to speak publicly about the plans, but the news comes days after reports that Trump is focusing on North African countries and other African countries, including Benin, Angola and Esvatini, is at the place where the deportees are sent.

Earlier this week, Rwanda's Foreign Minister confirmed that East African countries were talking about the same issue with Washington. All of these countries have infamous human rights records.

Deportation is expected by the U.S. military. A second U.S. official has no right to speak publicly about the plan, telling NPR's Tom Bowman that the flight to Libya has not yet begun. Sources said the plan involved the use of an aircraft that would not be sufficient.

The Civil War broke out in Libya in 2011 and now the country is effectively divided into two parts, each under the jurisdiction of different factions. Eastern Libya is controlled by military strongman Khalifa Haftar, while western Libya is run by unsupported governments.

The country itself is a popular route for immigrants from other parts of Africa who are trying to enter Europe. The shocking treatment these migrants received at the hands of Libyan authorities has been widely condemned by rights groups. The Libyan government has not responded to any requests for comment from NPR.

As part of its crackdown, the Trump administration has been seeking to deport immigrants from third countries who do not have legal status. Some Latin American countries have been deported, including El Salvador and Panama.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told lawmakers on Tuesday that she signed new agreements with El Salvador and Colombia during her recent visit.

The agreement with Colombia could share biometric information to determine the Department of Homeland Security’s memorandum designed to be removed from the United States, a memorandum signed by El Salvador’s secretary allows sharing of fugitive criminal records.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters last month that the U.S. government
“Working with other countries, we want to send you some of the meanest humans… the farther away from the United States, the better so they can’t get back to the border.”

Tom Bowman and Ximena Bustillo contributed to the report.