US deported more than 25,000 migrants to third countries — Taipei Times
The United States has deported more than 25,000 migrants to countries with which they have no ties, under arrangements with 35 states. As of August 31, at least 25,447 people had been sent to third countries, according to data from an investigation by Forbidden Stories, compiled together with a consortium of international journalists, Taipei Times reports.
According to the investigation, the administration of US President Donald Trump made agreements mainly with developing countries to receive migrants whom the United States cannot legally return to their countries of origin. The administration allocated US$410 million for implementing such arrangements; the funds were to be transferred directly to recipient states or UN agencies.
Mexico received the largest number of people
About 20,000 people were deported to Mexico. The rest were distributed among 27 countries in Latin America, Africa and the Pacific region. Agreements with another seven countries have already been finalized. The terms of the arrangements vary; in particular, they determine citizens of which states may be deported and whether countries will accept people with criminal records.
Forbidden Stories said that US representatives approached 49 of 54 African countries with proposals to accept deportees from third countries. AFP previously reported that Washington used visa bans and restrictions against African countries to secure their consent to receive deportees.
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Funding for governments and UN bodies
According to internal US State Department documents, US$81 million of the planned US$410 million was allocated to the governments of countries that signed the agreements. More than US$178 million was earmarked for the International Organization for Migration, while another US$123 million was allocated to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Cameroon signed a memorandum with the United States on receiving deportees in December, and a week later concluded a five-year medical assistance program worth nearly US$400 million. The following month, the State Department announced another US$30 million for UNHCR in Cameroon. The first plane carrying deportees arrived in the country on January 14.
Palau agreed to receive up to 75 third-country nationals in exchange for US$7.5 million, but only three people were sent there. Eswatini received 32 of a possible 160 people under an agreement worth more than US$5 million; the investigation claims that the country accepted people with criminal records. Lawyers interviewed by AFP said that deportees are being held without charges in countries with which they have no ties and where they have few or no rights at all.
