The incoming Trump administration is compiling a list of countries from which migrants could be deported if their home country refuses to accept them, according to three sources familiar with the plan.
Countries on the list may include, but are not limited to, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, Panama and Grenada, officials said.
The plan could mean thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of immigrants being permanently exiled to a country where they do not know the people, the language, or the culture they have ties to.
It is unclear whether migrants will be allowed to continue working and residing legally in the countries they are being deported to. Also, what kind of economic or diplomatic pressure is the Trump transition putting on countries to get their buy-in, or is it likely to be put on after President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January? It is also unknown.
In 2019, during President Trump’s first term, he sent migrants to Guatemala as part of an agreement with Guatemala to accept people from other countries seeking asylum in the United States. Under the policy, asylum seekers who had recently entered the United States were put on planes to Guatemala without knowing their destination, according to NBC News and other reports at the time. This practice continued on a relatively small scale until early 2020, when it was discontinued during the pandemic.
The American Civil Liberties Union and other pro-immigrant rights groups sued the Trump administration over the policy. The case is still pending in federal court.
Lee Geraint, an attorney with the ACLU’s national office, told NBC News: “We filed lawsuits over these types of policies during the first Trump administration because they were illegal and put asylum seekers in grave danger. Because I exposed it,” he said.
Immigrants from countries reluctant to accept people who have settled in the United States, such as Venezuela, Cuba and China, have long been a problem for U.S. authorities, who are barred from indefinite detention by federal court orders. As a result, many immigrants from these countries end up being released into the United States even if a judge orders their deportation.
A plan to deport some immigrants whose home countries are reluctant to accept them to unrelated third countries would be a way for the new Trump administration to get around this problem. It is the largest deportation operation in American history. ”
President Trump also wants Mexico to take in non-Mexicans deported from the United States, three people told NBC News. In addition to accepting migrants who could be turned away at the border, which Mexico already does, the incoming administration is pressuring Mexico to accept deportation flights of non-Mexicans living in the United States. Sources said getting Mexico to agree may not be easy and that President Trump will use the threat of tariffs to force Mexico to agree.
Officials also told NBC News that the incoming administration has a goal of deporting immigrants within a week of apprehension and believes the policy will help speed deportations.
“President Trump has been given a mandate by the American people to stop illegal immigration, secure our borders, and deport dangerous criminals and terrorists who undermine the safety of our communities. We’re going to get it done,” Trump and Vance transition spokeswoman Caroline Levitt told NBC News when asked for comment on the plan.
A person familiar with the plan told NBC News that President Trump’s transition team has already been in contact with the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, Panama and Grenada to finalize agreements to agree to receive deportation flights from the United States. He said he is doing so.
Panamanian government spokeswoman Carmen Mora said: “The Panamanian government does not respond to speculation or rumors.” I can’t help but speculate on this point. We hope to be involved in the new US administration once it takes office. ”
After NBC News first published this story Thursday morning, both Mexico’s president and the Bahamian prime minister said they did not want to accept immigrants from other countries sent by the United States.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she wants a deal to prevent the Trump administration from deporting immigrants from other countries to Mexico.
“Of course we stand in solidarity with all people, but our main role is to accept Mexicans, and to bring people from other countries back to their home country in case these deportations occur. We hope to reach an agreement with the Trump administration that will allow us to send them back to Japan,” Sheinbaum said.
The Office of the Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Philip Davis, said in a statement that Davis “categorically rejected” the idea of accepting immigrants from other countries when presented to him by the Trump transition team.
“This matter was submitted to the Government of The Bahamas and was considered by the Prime Minister and categorically rejected,” a spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister said. “The Bahamas simply does not have the resources to respond to such demands. The Prime Minister remains focused on addressing the concerns of the Bahamian people. Since the Prime Minister rejected this proposal, the Trump administration transition There has been no further engagement or discussion with the team or any other organization. The Government of the Bahamas continues to maintain its position.”
