The United States has significantly altered its deportation strategy, sending nearly 2,300 Mexican citizens to Guatemala and dozens more to Honduras so far this year. This approach represents a sharp departure from the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, when such international transfers were rare and most deportees were sent directly back to Mexico via land or air.
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo confirmed on Wednesday that 2,284 Mexicans have arrived in his country this year. He described these arrivals as a “transit stopover” under an “arrangement” with the Mexican government. These individuals, who do not hold refugee or asylum status, are processed on flights alongside Guatemalan returnees. Arévalo explained that the goal is to coordinate with Mexican immigration authorities to ensure these individuals are returned to Mexican territory within 24 hours of their arrival in Guatemala.
The financial burden of these operations is primarily handled by the Mexican government, though U.S. funding is utilized in certain instances. Mexico’s National Migration Institute (INM) confirmed that these deportations have been occurring mainly since April. In a brief statement, the institute noted that the U.S. is employing this tactic to prevent migrants from immediately attempting to cross back into American territory. While the Mexican Foreign Ministry has expressed opposition to this practice and emphasized that its citizens have a right to enter their own country, it continues to coordinate with regional partners to manage the returns.
Honduras has also seen an influx of these deportees. Official documents indicate that 82 Mexicans arrived in San Pedro Sula on flights on August 13 and 15, with an additional 35 arriving on Thursday. Data from the advocacy group Third Country Deportation Watch suggests that another 165 Mexicans were sent to Honduras between May and mid-July. Advocacy organizations, including Human Rights First, have expressed concern that these transfers may endanger migrants who have few resources or who may have been seeking asylum. Savitri Arvey of Human Rights First suggested the strategy is designed to pressure the Mexican government, noting that some individuals have arrived on U.S. military flights.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated that it is utilizing all available lawful options to execute the largest deportation operation in history, as promised by the president. This policy is part of a broader expansion of agreements with Latin American nations, including Costa Rica, Panama, and El Salvador, to serve as transit or destination points for those expelled from the U.S. While Costa Rica has received 11 Mexicans since the start of the administration, those individuals remain in the country, potentially due to fears regarding their return to Mexico.
Legal experts suggest that the administration may be using these third-country deportations as a loophole to bypass court orders that prevent the direct return of certain asylum seekers to Mexico. This shift occurs against a backdrop of heightened tensions, as the Mexican government has previously protested the deaths of 17 Mexican citizens in U.S. immigration custody or during enforcement operations. Historically, Mexico has accepted its own citizens, and in 2025, it processed roughly 12,000 deported foreigners from various nations, though specific figures for the current year remain limited. The report also notes that only a handful arrived in other countries. The report also notes that whose government has protested the deaths of 17 Mexicans in immigration custody or during enforcement operations, some civil organizations believe this change reported in recent days is a way to increase pressure on Mexico. The report also notes that sent to Central America by plane and Mexico by bus. The report also notes that “They are arriving on planes carrying Guatemalan returnees, and what we have done is bring them in transit so that, in coordination with Mexican immigration authorities, we can return them to Mexican territory within 24 hours of their arrival in the country,” he explained at a press conference. The report also notes that the INM did not provide figures or further details. The report also notes that in 2025, Mexico received some 12,000 deported foreigners, mostly Cubans and Venezuelans, according to figures provided by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
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