The administration of US President Donald Trump deported at least 25,447 individuals to countries where they were not citizens from January 2025 to the end of August 2026. This finding comes from an international investigation by The Deportation Project, coordinated by the investigative organization Forbidden Stories. The process of deporting people to third countries has become a notable element of the stricter immigration policies implemented by the United States.
Thousands Deported to Third Countries
The investigation documented deportations to 28 third countries. The largest group comprised individuals sent to Mexico—data collected shows approximately 20,000 people went there, even though they were not Mexican citizens. Others were sent to nations in Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific region.
According to the report, some deported individuals had no previous ties to the countries they were sent to. Documented examples include Iranians sent to Panama, Laotians sent to Eswatini, and Venezuelans deported to Liberia.
Tightening immigration policy has been a central priority for the Trump administration. Migration and US border protection were also addressed in our article on how the Trump White House is shifting priorities in immigration and security.
Office of Remigration Established
The Office of Remigration, operating within the US State Department, has played a key role in this system. Its tasks include negotiating with foreign governments to accept people deported from the United States.
The investigation found that the Trump administration concluded or prepared agreements with dozens of countries. Internal documents reviewed by The Washington Post show that by the end of June 2026, the US had authorized or pledged at least $410 million to help implement agreements with 31 countries, mainly in Africa and Latin America.
The White House has defended its policy. Its spokesperson, Lauren Bis, stated that people sent to third countries include those whose countries of origin refuse to accept them, as well as individuals with deportation orders who have requested not to be returned to their home countries.
US Court Challenges the Policy
The policy of deporting people to third countries is facing legal challenges. On September 18, 2026, a federal appeals court upheld a lower court decision that found the government did not provide those affected with enough opportunity to contest their deportation on safety grounds.
The dispute centers on the right of deported individuals to receive adequate notice and the chance to raise concerns about the risk of persecution or other dangers in the countries to which the US intends to send them.
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The Deportation Project was launched as a months-long collaborative investigation by dozens of journalists from several countries. It was coordinated by the nonprofit investigative organization Forbidden Stories, with participation from media in the United States, Europe, Africa, and Latin America.
The findings show that deportations to third countries are no longer isolated incidents but part of a broader strategy in the second Trump administration’s immigration policy. However, a pending legal dispute over the procedural safeguards the US government must provide for deported individuals may impact the policy going forward.
This article was translated from the original Slovak version with the assistance of AI.
