The United States has deported close to 2,300 Mexican nationals to Guatemala and sent a number to Honduras this year, as per official records. This marks a change from the early stages of President Donald Trump’s second term when such deportations were infrequent. Previously, only a small number of Mexicans had been removed from the U.S. to countries other than Mexico, as the U.S. adhered to non-refoulement principles in its immigration laws and international agreements. Non-refoulement prohibits sending migrants back to countries where their rights and safety could be at risk due to factors like race, religion, or nationality.
The Mexican National Migration Institute confirmed that Mexicans have been deported by the Trump administration to Guatemala and Honduras since April, with the individuals then transported by bus to southern Mexico. The Mexican government has voiced opposition to this practice to U.S. authorities, emphasizing that every Mexican citizen has the right to enter the U.S.
The flow of migrants through Mexico to the southern U.S. border has often strained relations between the two countries. In the current U.S. administration, the Mexican government has also protested the deaths of 17 Mexicans in U.S. immigration custody or during enforcement actions. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated that the deportations to Central America are part of the administration’s efforts to carry out significant deportation operations.
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo disclosed that over 2,200 Mexicans deported from the U.S. have arrived in Guatemala this year as a transit stop before being returned to Mexico. Similarly, official documents revealed that dozens of Mexicans deported from the U.S. arrived in Honduras on specific dates. Immigration lawyers believe that these deportations to third countries are a strategy to indirectly pressure asylum seekers to return to Mexico due to legal constraints preventing direct deportations to Mexico.
The U.S. deportation to Haiti commenced following a Supreme Court ruling allowing the Trump administration to end the temporary protected status (TPS) program for Haitians. The deportation also marked the first removal under an agreement for Liberia to accept non-nationals. Activists have raised concerns about deporting individuals to Haiti, citing the country’s dangerous conditions and limited resources. In Liberia, deportees from various regions arrived, and they may seek asylum in the country if desired. The U.S. State Department reiterated its commitment to curbing illegal immigration and enhancing border security.
