Tiny Pacific nation to take up to 75 deportees as Trump administration accelerates mass removals

Palau has struck a deal with the U.S. to accept up to 75 deportees from the U.S. in exchange for $7.5 million in foreign aid.

The agreement will allow “third-country nationals” who have never been charged with a crime to live and work in the Pacific nation, which has a population of about 18,000 people, according to Wednesday announcements from President Surangel Whipps Jr.’s office and the U.S. Embassy in Koror.

“The United States deeply appreciates Palau’s cooperation in enforcing U.S. immigration laws, which remains a top priority for the Trump Administration,” the U.S. Embassy in Koror said in a statement. “In this regard, the United States granted $7.5 million to address the needs of relevant Palau public services.”

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An aerial view of Palau on Oct. 6, 2015. (iStock)

The agreement was formalized through a memorandum of understanding, with Palau citing labor shortages as a key motivation.

“Palau and the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding allowing up to 75 third country nationals, who have never been charged with a crime, to live and work in Palau, helping address local labor shortages in needed occupations,” Whipps Jr.’s office said in a statement.

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President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign event on Dec.19, 2025, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The Trump administration will also provide $6 million to support Palau’s struggling civil service pension plan system and $2 million for new law enforcement initiatives, according to Whipps Jr.’s office.

Palau — a former filming location for the long-running reality TV series “Survivor” — has long been a recipient of U.S. support and relies heavily on foreign aid, according to The New York Post.

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Castaways from The Ulong Tribe, James Willson, Ibreham Rahman, Bobby Jon Drinkard and Stephanie LaGrossa during the third episode of Survivor: Palau on the CBS Television Network.   (Monty Brinton/CBS Photo Archive via Getty Images)

Under a deal brokered during the Biden administration, Washington committed $889 million in aid over 20 years, according to the State Department.

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As the Trump administration ramps up mass deportations, many countries have agreed to take illegal immigrants, including Uganda, Rwanda, Eswatini, South Sudan, Costa Rica, Panama and El Salvador.

Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.