The U.S. has expelled close to 2,300 Mexican nationals to Guatemala and sent a few dozen to Honduras this year, a departure from the earlier part of President Donald Trump’s second term when such transfers were rare. Historically, only a small number of Mexicans had been deported from the U.S. to countries other than Mexico due to the non-refoulement principle in domestic immigration law and international agreements, which prohibits returning migrants to countries where their rights may be at risk based on race, religion, or nationality.
Mexico’s National Migration Institute (INM) acknowledged that Mexicans have been repatriated by the Trump administration to Guatemala and Honduras, mainly since April, and then transported by bus to southern Mexico. The Mexican Foreign Ministry expressed its disapproval of this practice to U.S. authorities, emphasizing that every Mexican citizen has the right to enter the U.S.
The ongoing flow of migrants through Mexico into the U.S. has caused tensions between the two countries. During Trump’s second term, the Mexican government has raised concerns over the deaths of 17 Mexicans in U.S. immigration custody or enforcement operations. When questioned about why Mexicans were sent to Central America instead of returning to Mexico, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated that the administration is using all legal means to execute the largest deportation operation in history, as promised by President Trump.
Guatemala’s President confirmed that 2,284 deported Mexicans have transited through the country en route to Mexico this year without being granted refugee or asylum status. Similarly, Honduras received 82 Mexicans on flights in August and additional arrivals in subsequent days. Human Rights First and Refugees International reported that 165 Mexicans were deported to Honduras between May and mid-July.
Immigration advocates believe that the U.S. is exploiting the deportation tactic to indirectly pressure asylum seekers to return to Mexico, circumventing court orders that prevent their immediate return. Trump’s administration has engaged in agreements with multiple countries in the region to facilitate the deportation of migrants from third countries.
In a separate development, the U.S. deported individuals to Haiti for the first time post a legal battle won by the Trump administration at the Supreme Court. Additionally, the U.S. initiated deportations under an agreement with Liberia to accept non-Liberian deportees. The Supreme Court’s decision to end the temporary protected status program for Haitians and Syrians could impact residents from several countries who sought asylum in the U.S. due to violence or natural disasters.
Activists have expressed concerns about the safety and resources in Haiti for returning deportees, citing widespread violence, poverty, and hunger. Liberia received deportees from various regions, offering the option for them to seek asylum in the country.
The U.S. State Department reiterated its commitment to curbing illegal immigration and enhancing border security amid these deportation actions.