Overview:
Two more third-country nationals landed in Palau Wednesday night, as the Palau-US migration agreement continues despite an ongoing Senate lawsuit challenging its legality.
By: L.N. Reklai
KOROR, Palau (July 8, 2026) Two third-country nationals arrived in Palau Wednesday night under a migration agreement between Palau and the United States, according to sources familiar with the arrivals.
Minister of Justice Jennifer Olegeriil confirmed to an Island Times reporter that the arrivals were expected this week but declined to confirm the exact number of arriving TCNs.
The two men are reportedly from Vietnam, following a similar profile to the first third-country national who arrived in early June. That individual returned to his home country roughly two weeks after arriving in Palau at his own initiative.
Third-country nationals are individuals who were living in the United States but are being deported to countries other than their own under agreements the U.S. has established with those nations. Palau signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United States to accept individuals the U.S. has determined violated its immigration laws. Under the agreement, the U.S. provided Palau with approximately $7 million.
The agreement has drawn opposition from some Palauans. The Palau Senate filed a lawsuit, including a request for a restraining order, seeking to halt implementation of the agreement. A court denied the restraining order but allowed the case to proceed. The lawsuit remains pending as Palau continues to accept third-country nationals under the MOU.
