France, Aug. 19 -- "Liberia intends to accept up to 1,200 persons to be transferred from the United States of America within a year," the West African country's government said in a statement.

A first group of 20 deportees are due to arrive Thursday, it said, adding that they were "free to depart the country when they so desire" or apply for asylum.

The Trump administration has said it wants to send to Liberia the Salvadoran immigrant Kilmar Abrego Garcia who became a symbol of mass deportations after he was wrongfully expelled to El Salvador last year, The New York Times reported.

Married to an American, Garcia has since returned to the United States and has taken legal action to be able to remain. The Trump administration is seeking ...