Palau has agreed to accept up to 75 non‑American migrants relocated from the United States in return for $7.5 million in US aid. The migrants, who have not been charged with crimes, will be considered on a case‑by‑case basis and are expected to fill needed jobs. The package also includes $6 million for pension reforms, $2 million for law enforcement, and US commitments to fund a hospital and boost disaster response.
Palau to Accept Up to 75 Non‑American Migrants From US in $7.5M Aid Deal
Palau President Surangel Whipps has agreed to accept third-party migrants from the United States. (DAVID GRAY)(DAVID GRAY/AFP/AFP)
The Pacific island nation of Palau has agreed to accept up to 75 non‑American migrants relocated from the United States under a memorandum of understanding that includes $7.5 million in US assistance, officials said.
Under the arrangement, Palau will consider migrants on a case‑by‑case basis and permit eligible third‑country nationals currently in the United States to live and work on the sparsely populated archipelago. US and Palauan officials said the migrants have not been charged with crimes and are expected to fill labour shortages in roles needed to sustain services across the islands.
What the Deal Includes
In exchange for allowing up to 75 migrants to relocate to Palau, the United States will provide:
- $7.5 million for public services and infrastructure;
- $6 million aimed at reforms to avert a collapse of Palau’s civil service pension plan;
- $2 million for law enforcement initiatives;
- Support for building a new hospital and improving the nation’s disaster response capacity, officials said.
The memorandum was announced following a call between Palau President Surangel Whipps and US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. In a statement, the US State Department described the agreement as “concrete steps to strengthen our security and protect our communities, while also fostering a safe, more secure, and more prosperous Indo‑Pacific region.”
“Palau would have to agree on a case‑by‑case basis as to individuals who will be arriving in Palau under the arrangement,” Palauan officials said.
Palau — a chain of limestone islands and coral atolls home to roughly 20,000 people — lies about 800 kilometres (500 miles) east of the Philippines. Since taking office in 2020, President Whipps has overseen an expansion of US military cooperation on Palau, including construction of a long‑range radar outpost intended as an early‑warning system amid rising Chinese activity in the Taiwan Strait.
Palau gained independence in 1994 and maintains a long‑standing Compact of Free Association with the United States, under which Washington provides substantial budgetary support and assumes responsibility for the island nation’s defence.
Context: US efforts to reduce the number of undocumented migrants in the country have included stepped‑up deportations and tighter border controls. This agreement represents a bilateral approach combining migration management with targeted development and security assistance.
