Planes, Policies, and Passports: The U.S. Deportation Game Goes Global

In a broadening expansion of its deportation policy, the United States has either entered or is in negotiations to enter agreements with an increasing number of countries to accept migrants deported from the U.S. territory—even in cases when the deportees did not originate in that country. This deportation policy, part of President Donald Trump's intensified enforcement strategy against unlawful immigration, happens as the department looks for alternatives to deport migrants whose home countries refuse to accept them. 

 

Countries currently accepting deportees:

 

Mexico: accepts non-Mexician unlawful immigrants even absent an agreement. Mexico constructed temporary shelters in cities near Ciudad Juarez to accommodate those arriving in Mexico after being deported.

 

Guatemala: accepted not only Guatemalan nationals, but also non-Guatemalan citizens, agreeing to increase deportation flights by 40%.

 

El Salvador: the country now will accept imprisoned unlawful immigrants of any nationality and have been placing them in their new mega-prison, with the U.S. paying a fee each for near the prison.

 

Honduras: serves as a "humanitarian bridge" as a country that accepts deportation flights, especially for Venezuelans and is willing to accept more transfer requests.

 

Venezuela: has reciprocated on accepting deportees after negotiations.

 

Panama: was the first country to take deportees from other countries, were the U.S. has recently flown deportees from Africa and Asia back to their home countries.

 

Costa Rica: also has an agreement to accept deportees that are not citizens or nationals—from mostly Asia and, as of last month, plans to repatriate without delay.

 

India: accepted the first deportee group from the U.S., who upon verification agreed to accept Indian nationals.

 

Negotiate or discuss acceptance for country:

 

Rwanda: ongoing talks are underway and Rwandan officials confirmed they are in early stages of finalizing an agreement to accept third country nationals deported from the U.S.

 

Libya: U.S. sent to Libya but case was ultimately stopped by a court ruling and denied by Libya.

 

Angola, Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Moldova: The Trump administration has reached out to in a wider diplomatic initiative and have not reached an agreement with minimum expectations or public agreements.

 

The DHS is also offering monetary and travel assistance available to take any legal migrant self-deportation strategy. Secretary Kristi Noem stated for migrants to utilize the CBP Home App for the safest route home to repatriate.

 

These agreements are controversial in both their scope and the human rights record of some of their partner countries, and are intended in part to deter unlawful immigration and avoid the difficulties of countries unwilling to take back their citizens. Legal action and federal and state court orders will continue to shape the consideration of the applicability, enforcement, and extraterritoriality of these agreements.

 

Source: The Epoch Times