The U.S. has deported approximately 2,300 Mexican individuals to Guatemala and sent a few to Honduras this year, as per official records, marking a change from the early days of President Donald Trump’s second term when such transfers were scarce. In the past, only a small number of Mexicans were expelled to countries other than Mexico due to the non-refoulement principle in U.S. immigration law and international agreements, which prohibits sending migrants back to countries where their rights or safety could be at risk based on factors like race, religion, or nationality.
Mexico’s National Migration Institute (INM) verified that Mexicans have been deported to Guatemala and Honduras by the Trump administration, mainly since April, and then transported by bus to southern Mexico. The Mexican government has expressed opposition to this practice to U.S. authorities, emphasizing that every Mexican citizen has the right to enter the country.
The issue of migrant flows through Mexico and across the U.S. southern border has caused tensions between the nations. During the Trump administration, the Mexican government protested the deaths of 17 Mexicans in U.S. immigration custody or enforcement operations. When asked about the rationale behind sending Mexicans to Central America instead of their home country, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security cited its commitment to executing the largest deportation operation in history, as promised by President Trump.
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo confirmed that 2,284 deported Mexicans from the U.S. have transited through Guatemala before being taken to Mexico under an arrangement with the Mexican government. Similarly, official documents revealed that 82 Mexican deportees landed in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, on specified flights in August. Moreover, a monitoring website reported that 165 Mexicans were deported to Honduras between May and mid-July.
Immigration lawyers suggest that the Trump administration is using third-country deportations as a legal strategy to indirectly push asylum seekers to return to Mexico when direct deportation is not feasible due to court orders recognizing safety risks. Trump had agreements with several countries to act as transit or destination points for migrants expelled from the U.S.
In a separate development, the U.S. deported individuals to Haiti for the first time since a legal victory at the Supreme Court, while also executing its initial deportation under an agreement with Liberia. Haiti, which faced an earthquake in 2010, has numerous residents in the U.S. under temporary protected status. Activists warn that Haiti lacks resources and is unsafe for deportees due to pervasive violence and poverty. Similarly, Liberia received deportees from various regions, allowing them to seek asylum if desired.
The U.S. State Department reiterated its commitment to ending illegal immigration and fortifying border security.
