The caretaker government of Kosovo has announced that the selection of 50 individuals deported from the United States, who are to be temporarily sheltered in Kosovo, will be carried out in cooperation with U.S. authorities and based on national security and public order considerations.
This measure follows a government decision on June 11, allowing Kosovo to offer temporary protection to third-country nationals deported from the U.S. A day earlier, the U.S. Supreme Court permitted the Trump administration to resume deportations to third countries, suspending a lower court’s requirement that migrants be allowed to challenge their removal.
In a statement to Radio Free Europe, Kosovo’s caretaker government said that each individual case will be reviewed separately by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, with temporary protection lasting up to one year. During this period, Kosovo will evaluate conditions in the individuals’ countries of origin and may initiate procedures for voluntary return.
“Under current legislation, individuals under temporary protection are provided with basic living conditions, including shelter, food, clothing, hygiene packages, and access to healthcare—emergency care and treatment of illnesses,” the statement says.
The government highlighted Kosovo’s prior experience in offering humanitarian shelter, citing the 2021 evacuation of Afghan citizens in coordination with NATO and the U.S., and the hosting of Ukrainian journalists through the “Journalists in Residence” program.
These examples, it said, demonstrate Kosovo’s institutional readiness and capability to manage such operations.
In its conclusion, the caretaker government referred to the United States as Kosovo’s unwavering ally, expressing gratitude for continued support, particularly on Kosovo’s path toward Euro-Atlantic integration.
The U.S. State Department has welcomed Kosovo’s decision, saying Washington is “grateful” for the country’s cooperation.
Caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti earlier stated that Kosovo’s authorities would work in close coordination with the relevant U.S. agencies throughout the process.
Some U.S. diplomats and analysts have described Kosovo’s move as a “symbolically important gesture,” though noting it does not significantly alter the broader dynamics of U.S.-Kosovo relations.
