US has deported 25,000 to third countries under secretive deals, says report

The United States has forcibly relocated over 25,000 migrants to third countries under covert arrangements with 35 nations, according to a recent investigation conducted by Forbidden Stories. These secret agreements were signed by the administration of President Donald Trump, who came to power in January 2025. The investigation found that nearly $410 million has been allocated for these deportations and the facilitation of returns to the receiving nations or UN agencies.

Approximately 20,000 of the deportees were sent to Mexico, while the remaining individuals were spread across 27 countries in Latin America, Africa, and the Pacific, with further agreements in place with seven additional nations.

The majority of the deportations, around 20,000, have been to Mexico, but the remaining individuals have been distributed to various countries across the globe. The terms of these agreements differ, including the specific nationalities that can be deported and whether individuals with criminal records can be accepted. A new division within the State Department, known as the Office of Remigration, has been responsible for most of the negotiations and financial transactions related to these deals.

Led by Christian Jove Ehrhardt, a 41-year-old diplomat with a background as a security officer, the office has been instrumental in finalizing the arrangements.

Of the 54 African nations, 49 have been approached to accept third-country deportees, according to the investigation. The Office of Remigration has been handling the majority of these negotiations and payments. The first group of deportees arrived in Cameroon in early January 2026, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding and a five-year health assistance program worth nearly $400 million.

Subsequent agreements involved direct payments to governments, such as Palau, which accepted up to 75 deportees in return for $7.5 million. Eswatini has accepted 32 deportees out of a potential 160 under an agreement valued at over $5 million, including those with criminal records.

The US has earmarked $81 million of the $410 million for the signatory governments, with the remaining funds directed towards aid organizations. Over $178 million has been allocated to the United Nations International Organisation for Migration, and $123 million to the UNHCR. These agencies have faced criticism for their involvement, although UNHCR maintains that it is not directly involved in the bilateral agreements and that the US funding is being utilized as per its mandate to bolster asylum systems.

An International Organization for Migration spokesperson stated that the agency's engagement in these arrangements is based on whether it can enhance the lives of the affected migrants.