The U.S. has deported around 2,300 Mexicans to Guatemala and a smaller number to Honduras this year, a departure from earlier in President Donald Trump’s second term when such transfers were infrequent. Historically, only a few Mexicans had been sent from the U.S. to countries other than Mexico due to the non-refoulement principle in domestic immigration law and international treaties. This principle prohibits returning migrants to countries where their human rights could be at risk.
According to Mexico’s National Migration Institute (INM), Mexicans have been deported by the Trump administration to Guatemala and Honduras since April, with transportation to southern Mexico following these deportations. The Mexican government has voiced opposition to this practice, asserting the rights of Mexican citizens to enter the U.S.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, responsible for immigration enforcement, stated that the administration is executing a significant deportation operation, leveraging all legal avenues as promised by President Trump. This strategy includes sending Mexicans to Central America instead of their home country.
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo disclosed that 2,284 deported Mexicans from the U.S. arrived in Guatemala this year before being transferred to Mexico under an agreement with the Mexican government. Similarly, official documents reveal that 82 Mexicans were deported to Honduras in August, with more arrivals in subsequent months.
Immigration lawyers suspect that the U.S. is using third-country deportations as a means to indirectly compel asylum seekers to return to Mexico, circumventing legal barriers preventing direct returns. This tactic appears aimed at pressuring the Mexican government to prevent Mexican nationals from crossing the U.S. border.
Under agreements reached with multiple countries, including Mexico, the U.S. designated Central American nations as transit points for migrants expelled from U.S. territory. Recently, the U.S. initiated deportations to Haiti following legal victories in court battles, affecting individuals under temporary protected status (TPS) from various countries.
Deportees to Haiti included TPS holders who had resided legally in the U.S. since the 2010 earthquake. The deportation of non-Haitian nationals of Haitian descent has raised concerns. Activists caution that Haiti lacks resources and faces severe challenges, including gang violence and poverty, making deportations perilous.
In Liberia, deportees from the U.S. arrived, comprising African, North American, South American, and Caribbean nationals. Liberian officials indicated that deportees could seek asylum in the country if desired. The U.S. State Department emphasized its commitment to curbing illegal immigration and enhancing border security.