Guatemala Agrees to Accept More US Deportation Flights
In 2024, approximately 66,000 individuals were deported from the US to Guatemala. With Trump in office, that number is expected to increase.
Guatemala Agrees to Increase Deportation Flights from the US
Guatemala has agreed to accept a higher number of deportation flights from the United States following a visit from Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo announced that his country would also take in non-citizens deported from the US. "We have agreed to increase the number of deportation flights by 40 percent, both for Guatemalan nationals and individuals of other nationalities," Arevalo said while appearing alongside Rubio.
Guatemala has previously accepted deportation flights under the administration of former US President Joe Biden. However, President Donald Trump, who took office on January 20, has made curbing irregular migration a key policy focus. He has been urging regional governments to support his crackdown on immigration.
A Guatemalan official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, stated that under Biden, Guatemala received approximately 14 deportation flights per day. It remains uncertain how much this number will rise under Trump. Notably, the 66,000 Guatemalans deported from the US in fiscal year 2024 exceeded the annual deportations during Trump's first term (2017–2021).
Rubio’s Regional Push for Immigration Crackdown
Rubio's visit to Guatemala was part of his first diplomatic tour as the US Secretary of State. He has been traveling across Central America to rally support for Trump’s immigration policies, making stops in Panama, El Salvador, and Costa Rica before arriving in Guatemala. His next destination is the Dominican Republic.
During his visit, Rubio commended President Arevalo for agreeing to accept non-citizens into Guatemala. He also indicated that the US would provide financial assistance to Guatemala to help repatriate deported individuals to their respective home countries.
"This agreement is crucial for addressing the migration challenges we face," Rubio stated. "President Arevalo’s willingness to accept not only Guatemalan nationals but also migrants from other countries is significant, and we have pledged our support for these efforts."
Arevalo clarified that discussions did not cover the acceptance of deportees with criminal records.
Regional Resistance and Alternative US Deportation Plans
The Trump administration has been exploring alternative deportation destinations for non-citizens detained in immigration raids. Countries such as Venezuela and Cuba have refused to accept deportation flights from the US.
In December, reports surfaced that Trump’s team had approached Caribbean nations, including the Bahamas, Grenada, and Turks and Caicos, to accept deported migrants. However, leaders of these island nations declined the request. "The Bahamas simply does not have the resources to accommodate such a request," Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis stated at the time.
Meanwhile, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has taken a different approach, offering to imprison any violent offenders deported from the US—whether they are migrants or American citizens. However, even within the Trump administration, officials have raised concerns about the legality of such a proposal.
On Tuesday, the US began transferring undocumented migrants to its military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba—a facility long criticized for alleged human rights violations.
As of 2022, an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants reside in the United States, many of whom contribute significantly to their communities.
