Guatemala may accept more foreign nationals expelled from the United States by the incoming Trump administration in a bid to strengthen ties with the United States, according to a report.
Officials told Reuters that Guatemala has strained relations with the United States and will accept deported nationals from other Central American countries such as Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti, which have not accepted deportees in the past. He said he was ready.
“We need a regional response,” one Guatemalan official told Reuters. “And we want to be part of the solution.”
There are hopes that President Trump will keep his campaign promise to begin the largest mass deportation of illegal immigrants in U.S. history, and Guatemala wants to be in his favor throughout the process. According to Reuters, officials are bracing for an increase in deportations in the fall, saying the Trump administration will take time to ramp up its efforts.
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A photo of Guatemalan immigrants arriving at La Aurora Air Base on a deportation flight from the United States in Guatemala City, Guatemala, on November 8, 2024. (Reuters/Josue Decavele/File photo)
“We are not ready for it, but we know it is coming,” another Guatemalan government official told the outlet.
Guatemala is currently operating 14 deportation flights per week under President Biden’s administration.
Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
President Trump’s team has reportedly reached out to other Latin American countries to gauge their willingness to accept deportations from the United States. Several governments, including Mexico and the Bahamas, have said they do not want to accept foreigners from third countries.
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A migrant woman speaks with her family as she is processed by Guatemalan immigration officials after arriving on a deportation flight from the United States and Mexico in Guatemala City, Guatemala, on January 23, 2024. (Reuters/Cristina Chiquin/File photo)
According to a report by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, by 2022 more than 40% of illegal immigrants living in the United States will come from Mexico, or 4.8 million out of a total of 11 million. This was followed by Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, which together accounted for more than one-fifth of the total.
According to Reuters, Guatemala is reportedly more proactive in favoring the incoming Trump administration than neighboring countries El Salvador and Honduras. Before Trump was nominated for secretary of state, members of Trump’s transition team included Guatemalan officials, including Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Heritage, a conservative think tank specializing in immigration and border security. I met with several employees of the foundation. , drug trafficking and China policy.
The second official said Guatemala would prioritize the reintegration of Guatemalans, adding that every country should have a responsibility for its own citizens, but would allow free movement between Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador. He also emphasized regional agreements.
It is hoped that the U.S. deportees will apply the skills they learned in each state to Guatemala’s private sector.
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A police officer stands guard as Guatemalan migrants walk after arriving at La Aurora Air Base on deportation flights from the United States in Guatemala City, Guatemala, November 8, 2024. (Reuters/Josue Decavele/File photo)
The official said, “Many of these people have worked in various fields such as the construction and service industries, and can speak English.We want to take advantage of that.”
Officials who spoke to Reuters also said the increase in deportations could put pressure on Guatemala’s economy.
Remittances sent home by Guatemalan workers in the United States account for about 20% of the country’s GDP.
In 2023, remittances accounted for 24% of El Salvador’s gross domestic product and nearly 30% of Honduras’ GDP.
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Officials told Reuters they were not immediately concerned about the economic impact of reduced remittances, but shared concerns about President Trump’s proposed higher tariffs and taxes on remittances. .
“There is no financial plan yet. There are too many unknowns,” a second official said.
Reuters contributed to this report.
