Overview:
He arrived quietly, settled into a dorm room, got a SIM card — and then he was gone. Palau’s first deported migrant under a landmark agreement with the United States stayed less than two weeks before disappearing from the island. What happened, and what does it mean for Palau’s role in U.S. immigration enforcement? Read the full story.
By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang
KOROR, Palau (June 18, 2026) — The first third-country national deported to Palau under a memorandum of understanding with the United States arrived on the island in May and departed within two weeks, according to information obtained from the Office of the President.
The individual, identified as a middle-aged Vietnamese man, is the first deportee transferred to Palau under an agreement in which the island nation agreed to accept migrants removed from the United States for alleged violations of U.S. immigration law.
Arrival and Screening
Before the man’s arrival, U.S. officials submitted nearly 10 names to Palau authorities for vetting and consideration as the first group of third-country nationals under the agreement. That number was significantly reduced in the days that followed until only one individual remained on the list.
Upon landing, the man was met at the airport by representatives from the Office of the President and the Bureau of Immigration. He was then transported to Palau Community College, where he was assigned a room in dormitory space designated for such individuals. A former PCC director assisted with his transport and orientation.
Those who met him said he spoke limited English but communicated that he intended to settle on the island and remain in Palau for an extended period.
Sudden Departure
Shortly after his arrival, the man requested assistance obtaining a local SIM card. Once connected, he began communicating with family members in both the United States and Vietnam, sources said.
Despite his stated intention to stay, the man departed Palau in less than two weeks.
Representatives of the International Organization for Migration met with the individual during his brief stay. Sources with knowledge of the situation said IOM facilitated and assisted with his departure from the island. Island Times reached out to IOM for comment on the extent of its involvement with the man and its role in his departure, but did not receive a response before publication.
The Office of the President declined to provide additional details about the man’s arrival or departure dates, his name, or other identifying information, citing security concerns for the individual.
