The U.S. has deported approximately 2,300 Mexican nationals to Guatemala this year, with dozens more sent to Honduras, marking a significant shift from earlier in President Donald Trump’s second term when such transfers were minimal. Previously, very few Mexicans were expelled to countries other than Mexico due to the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to countries where their rights or safety may be at risk based on race, religion, or nationality.
The Mexican National Migration Institute (INM) acknowledged that Mexicans have been deported by the Trump administration to Guatemala and Honduras, starting primarily in April, and then transported by bus to southern Mexico. The Mexican Foreign Ministry expressed opposition to this practice and reiterated that every Mexican citizen has the right to enter the country.
Under scrutiny is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s rationale for sending Mexicans to Central America instead of returning them to Mexico. The department stated that it is utilizing all legal options to execute the largest deportation operation in history, as promised by President Trump.
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo confirmed that 2,284 deported Mexicans have transited through Guatemala this year before being taken to Mexico under an arrangement with the Mexican government. Similarly, Honduran authorities did not comment, but official documents revealed that 82 Mexicans arrived in San Pedro Sula on flights in mid-August, with additional arrivals subsequently.
According to the Third Country Deportation Watch website, 165 Mexicans were deported to Honduras between May and mid-July. Immigration lawyers believe that these deportations to third countries are a strategy to indirectly pressure asylum seekers to return to Mexico, circumventing court orders that acknowledge the dangers migrants face there.
Trump’s administration reached agreements with various countries to act as transit points for migrants expelled from the U.S., including Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Panama. In a separate development, the U.S. recently deported individuals to Haiti following a legal battle and initiated deportations to Liberia under a new agreement.
Activists have raised concerns about the safety and resources available in Haiti for deportees, citing rampant violence, poverty, and hunger. The U.S. State Department advises against travel to Haiti due to security risks, with commercial flight restrictions in place. In Liberia, deportees from various regions arrived, with the option to seek asylum if desired.
The U.S. State Department emphasized its commitment to ending illegal immigration, enhancing border security, and enforcing deportation measures.