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Palau reached an agreement with the United States to accept up to 75 people deported from the United States 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, according to announcements Wednesday 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 has provided $7.5 million to meet the needs of affected public services in Palau.”
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An aerial view of Palau, October 6, 2015 (iStock)
The deal was formalized through a memorandum of understanding, with Palau citing labor shortages as the main motivation.
“Palau and the United States have 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 to address the local labor shortage in needed occupations,” Whipps’ office said in a statement.
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President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign event December 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 retirement system and $2 million for new law enforcement initiatives, according to Whipps’ office.
Palau, formerly the filming location for the long-running reality TV series “Survivor,” has long enjoyed 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 CBS. (Monty Brinton/CBS Photo Archive via Getty Images)
Under a deal negotiated under 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 accelerates mass deportations, many countries have agreed to take in illegal immigrants, including Uganda, Rwanda, Eswatini, South Sudan, Costa Rica, Panama and El Salvador.
Charles Creitz of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
