US deports 2,300 Mexicans through Guatemala

In Guatemala, officials report receiving approximately 2,300 Mexicans deported from the United States this year, according to the nation's government. These deportations, a Trump administration practice, aim to discourage migration but are met with opposition from Mexico. On a recent televised interview, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo detailed the process, noting that the Mexicans are transported to their home country within 24 hours, with costs covered by either Mexico or the U.S.

Mexico's foreign ministry has expressed opposition to this policy and is working to repatriate citizens deported to Central America. However, the ministry did not specify the number of cases or associated costs. The Mexican government has notified U.S. authorities of its rejection of this practice.

The U.S. State Department, when queried about the reasoning behind deporting Mexican citizens to another country, did not provide a response and reiterated its commitment to existing immigration policies. Implementing the Trump administration's immigration strategies is a top priority, the department stated, maintaining its unwavering commitment to ending both illegal and mass immigration.

Under international agreements, deportees are typically sent directly to their country of citizenship. However, under President Donald Trump's migration crackdown, more migrants are being sent to third countries, sometimes under bilateral agreements. Mexico has often accepted U.S. deportees directly.

Immigration experts suggest that routing Mexicans through Guatemala or other countries may be designed to make illegal reentry to the U.S. more difficult by moving them farther from the U.S.-Mexico border. While the U.S. has traditionally prioritized deporting Mexicans by land to northern Mexico, since May, they have systematically deported Mexicans to Honduras and Guatemala, according to Andrew Selee, president of the Washington-based Migration Policy Institute.

The reasons behind the U.S. deporting Mexicans to Central America remain unclear, with possibilities including Mexican citizens facing protection concerns or the administration's punitive approach. Ana Maria Mendez, Central America director at migrants rights group WOLA, notes that this rerouting tactic leaves migrants uncertain about their destination and the protection of their rights, potentially part of a broader trend toward a severe U.S. migration policy aimed at instilling fear in migrants at all costs.