KOROR, Palau — The Angaur Council of Chiefs has adopted a resolution welcoming negotiation with the United States on hosting asylum seekers in their small southern state, a stance that directly conflicts with the national congress and traditional leadership, both of which have already rejected the proposal.
In a resolution dated July 24, 2025, the Angaur chiefs said they were open to discussions with U.S. officials “to see if there is a possibility of accommodating the asylum applicants on Angaur State and the benefits that Angaur State and the Republic of Palau can realize from taking this bold action.”
The chiefs cited Angaur’s long-standing relationship with the United States since World War II and said potential economic opportunities—including jobs, infrastructure development and higher living standards—were reasons to consider the request. They also praised the U.S. military’s Tactical Mobile Over-the-Horizon Radar (TACMOR) project on Angaur for bringing jobs and improvements to the island.
The resolution was issued after U.S. President Donald Trump made a formal request to Palau to host asylum seekers.
But the state-level resolution stands in sharp contrast to the response from national leaders. On July 19, just days before the Angaur resolution, Palau’s National Congress and the national Council of Chiefs both strongly opposed the U.S. plan, calling it “dead on arrival.”
In a joint letter to President Surangel Whipps Jr., Senate President Hokkons Baules and House Speaker Gibson Kanai said, “We strongly advise against proceeding further on this matter,” warning that Palau cannot take on such a burden despite its close alliance with the U.S.
The national Council of Chiefs echoed the same view, urging President Whipps not to sign any agreement. They emphasized Palau’s fragile capacity as a small island nation and noted the absence of any legal framework to manage asylum seekers.
Palau is not a signatory to the 1951 U.N. Refugee Convention, and any agreement to host asylum seekers would require a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress.
The Angaur chiefs’ position has also drawn mixed reactions from residents of the island, with some openly opposing the idea and others saying they were not consulted or even aware of the resolution.
Copies of the Angaur resolution have been sent to the U.S. ambassador, President Whipps, state leaders and local media, but national leaders have said negotiations on the asylum plan are unlikely to move forward.