The U.S. has deported almost 2,300 Mexicans to Guatemala and sent dozens more to Honduras this year, as per official records, marking a change from the initial part of President Donald Trump’s second term when such transfers were minimal. Until recently, only a few Mexicans were expelled from the U.S. to countries other than Mexico, in line with the principle of non-refoulement in both domestic immigration law and international treaties. This principle prohibits returning migrants to countries where their human rights could be at risk due to factors like race, religion, or nationality.
The Mexican National Migration Institute (INM) verified to The Associated Press that Mexicans have been deported by the Trump administration to Guatemala and Honduras, mainly since April, and are then taken by bus to southern Mexico. The Mexican Foreign Ministry stated its opposition to this practice and reiterated every Mexican citizen’s right to enter the country.
Friction between the U.S. and Mexico has often arisen due to the flow of migrants through Mexico to the southern U.S. border. In the Trump administration’s second term, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government protested the deaths of 17 Mexicans in U.S. immigration custody or during enforcement operations. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, responsible for immigration enforcement, explained that the deportations to Central America are part of their deportation strategy, as promised by President Trump.
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo confirmed that 2,284 Mexicans deported from the U.S. have arrived in Guatemala as a “transit stopover” before being taken to Mexico in an arrangement with the Mexican government. Similarly, Honduran authorities did not respond to inquiries, but official documents show that Mexicans deported from the U.S. arrived in Honduras on several flights.
Deportation to third countries is believed by immigration lawyers to be a legal tactic to indirectly pressure asylum seekers to return to Mexico when direct deportation is not feasible due to court orders. The Trump administration reached agreements with several countries to act as transit or destination points for migrants expelled from the U.S.
The U.S. recently deported individuals to Haiti for the first time since a legal battle at the Supreme Court. The decision affects the temporary protected status program for Haitians and Syrians, potentially impacting residents from multiple countries. Activists have raised concerns about Haiti’s safety and resources to support deportees due to escalating violence and poverty. Liberia also received deportees from the U.S., offering them the option to seek asylum in the country.
The U.S. State Department emphasized its commitment to curbing illegal immigration and strengthening border security.