A man is detained by federal agents after his hearing at New York Federal Plaza Immigration Court inside the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building in New York . AFP
The United States has traditionally been an important ally for one of the world's newest states, but Washington has in recent months objected to Kurti's "divisive" treatment of Kosovo's Serb minority.
Kurti announced late Thursday that the first one or two people from those the United States wants to expel had arrived.
Kosovo agreed in June to take up to 50 people from among those rounded up by US authorities before they are sent to their home countries.
The Balkan nation is among a growing list of third countries agreeing to take in individuals the United States wants to deport under its aggressive campaign against undocumented migration.
"We are accepting those whom the United States does not want on its territory," Kurti said in a television interview.
"If I'm not mistaken, one or two of them are here," he added without giving further detail.
'Eternal gratitude'
Kosovo, one of Europe's poorest countries, wanted through the accord to express its "eternal gratitude" for US support since it broke away from Serbia in 2008, the government said in June.
Kosovo has since become a very pro-US state. The capital is decorated with US flags and one of its main streets is named after former US president George Bush. Ex-presiden Bill Clinton has a street and a statue in his name.
Kurti has had problems with Washington however.
He returned to power for a second mandate in February, but failed to form a new government and a new election will be held on December 28.
The United States has criticised Kurti's party, accusing it of "undermining the stability" of Kosovo by preventing a Serbian political party from running in the December elections.
Eswatini, Ghana, Rwanda and South Sudan have all accepted people expelled from the United States in recent months.
The Trump administration has also sent hundreds of people to Central American countries, including some to a notorious prison in El Salvador.
Kosovo has also ratified a $235 million agreement with Denmark to host foreign prisoners convicted in the country, who will be able to serve sentences in a Kosovo prison.
But Western countries increasingly view the Balkans as a possible destination for people whose asylum applications have been rejected.
On Monday, the European Union agreed policy changes which would allow members to send migrants to countries that are not their home nations, but which Europe considers "safe". Rights groups have warned this violates the European Convention on Human Rights.
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