U.S. Sends Third-Country Migrants to Distant Nations

Key Takeaways

• Over 350 deportation flights for third-country migrants launched since January 2025, affecting Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe.
• Agreements with receiving countries often involve U.S. payments or pressure; some recipients detain migrants in harsh prison conditions.
• Court rulings and human rights organizations challenge deportations for lacking fair hearings, warning of major legal and ethical violations.

The Trump administration’s most recent approach to immigration has introduced a major shift in U.S. policy—especially regarding how the country deals with third-country migrants. These are people who are not citizens of the U.S. and are not citizens of the country where officials plan to send them. Since January 2025, the number of deportation flights for such migrants has climbed fast, with more than 350 flights already performed this year. These new practices have gotten attention worldwide, almost immediately sparking strong legal fights, major criticism from human rights groups, and new waves of diplomatic negotiations with countries on nearly every continent.

Let’s look closer at how this process works, which nations are involved, what the legal and ethical problems are, and what it means for migrants, receiving countries, and the larger U.S. policy direction. As reported by VisaVerge.com, this effort marks a turning point for immigration strategy and raises new questions for the future of both the U.S. and international cooperation on migration.

Scope of the New Deportation Effort

Under President Trump, the U.S. has reached out to countries in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe asking them to accept non-citizen migrants who have been living in the U.S. Some countries have already made official agreements, while others are still talking or are under pressure to accept flights of people who are not their citizens.

Migration flights have picked up speed. Since the beginning of 2025, officials have sent people—sometimes in large numbers—on over 350 different journeys to other parts of the world. The U.S. government says this is a way to discourage unauthorized crossings. If people know there’s a chance they could be sent not just home but to a different country, they may think twice before coming in without permission.

The plan’s main features include:

– Using deportation flights to send people to countries far from their home, sometimes with little warning.
– Making deals with receiving nations, some public and others kept quiet.
– Covering the costs of flights and, in some cases, paying extra funds to the receiving countries as part of the deal.
– Expelling people quickly, often before they get a court hearing or—worse—without a chance to ask for asylum.

Migration Routes and Targeted Countries

Officials have focused their new efforts on a range of countries and regions. The main destinations so far include:

Central America:
– El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica—These places are receiving non-citizen deportees. El Salvador, for example, has placed dozens of Venezuelans—accused by U.S. officials of being gang suspects—into its huge new mega-prison. Local jails in other countries are also seeing a rise in foreign arrivals due to these flights.

South America:
– Guyana has been considered as a new location for removals, and Venezuela nationals are sent elsewhere because their own government often refuses to take them back. For example, up to 300 Venezuelan migrants have been flown to El Salvador.

Africa:
– The U.S. is holding talks or has made agreements with Angola and Equatorial Guinea. There are reports of ongoing negotiations with Rwanda, and a deal with Libya was shut down temporarily after a U.S. federal judge said the process might violate due process rights. Human rights groups are especially concerned about poor prison conditions and violence in some of these countries.

Asia:
– Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, and Uzbekistan have all seen people sent to Panama, with some of these nationals placed in basic shelters and given only short-term help.

Other Destinations:
– Mexico continues to receive regional third-country nationals. The U.S. sometimes sends these people on deportation flights deep into Mexico, far from border cities and aid centers, making it almost impossible for them to return north or get legal help.

To see official information about U.S. removal procedures and migrant rights, you can visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services removal process page.

Legal and Human Rights Challenges

These new measures quickly drew lawsuits and heavy criticism from human rights organizations. Many lawyers and judges say migrants are not being treated fairly or given basic legal protections during the process.

Key legal issues include:

• A federal judge put a stop to sending people to Libya and other named countries, saying that some migrants were being put on deportation flights with no warning and no hearings. This step broke long-standing court rules from previous Supreme Court cases. The law says that before someone is deported, they have a right to know about the charges and to get a fair hearing. Skipping these steps is not only illegal, but it can also cause lasting harm to the people affected.

• Human Rights Watch reported that some migrants were removed without any paperwork or legal reason given for their removal. Many said they asked for asylum, but officials did not let them explain their stories or connect with legal help. Some were rushed onto deportation flights under fast-track rules that may not meet the standards U.S. law requires.

• In some cases, recipient countries have placed migrants in harsh prisons. Libya has been singled out for especially poor treatment, where migrants can face violence and even forced labor. El Salvador’s mega-prison holds many people who have not been charged with actual crimes but were labeled as gang suspects by U.S. officials.

Diplomatic Tension and Policy Drivers

The Trump administration says these policies are about national security and ending illegal border crossings. The main argument is that showing removal doesn’t just mean “return to your home”—it could mean being sent to a third country—will scare off would-be border crossers.

Other factors also play a role:

• The U.S. has sometimes used the threat of economic penalties to push countries into making these deals. Reports say Colombia agreed to take in some deportees only after President Trump threatened to cut trade ties if they did not comply.

• The government covers the entire transportation cost for these migrants. Sometimes it also pays countries direct cash for accepting the deportees, and sometimes even more if there’s local opposition. This has raised questions from local politicians and advocates about whether money is pushing these nations to accept deals they might otherwise refuse.

• Many of the specifics are secret. Some experts and watchdog groups say this method keeps the public from knowing how many people are affected, what they face after removal, and what rights (if any) they keep during and after the process.

Table of Recent Deportation Destinations

A quick look at some places involved in these new deportation deals shows the range and risk for both migrants and the countries receiving them:

Impacts on Migrants, Host Countries, and the U.S.

For migrants, the real-life effects of these new deportation flights can be severe. Many are sent to places they have never seen or have no family or support. They often arrive with just the clothes on their back. In some cases, local governments provide short-term aid like water and a place to sleep—but these setups are not meant for the long run. If someone gets sick, needs a lawyer, or looks for work, there’s often little or no help.

For host countries, there are both financial and social costs. Even when the U.S. pays for flights and some short-term needs, local officials worry about the risk of social unrest or violence, especially when prisoners are sent with little background information. There’s also the question of what to do when migrants try to leave again, get lost in the system, or become stuck in indefinite limbo.

For the U.S., the policy may bring mixed results. Supporters say it could discourage new arrivals if potential migrants know they could end up anywhere. Critics, on the other hand, argue that this approach is cruel, expensive, and may violate both U.S. and international law. They warn it damages America’s reputation and makes it harder to work with partner countries on future security efforts.

Why This Policy Emerged

Some analysts say this approach is partly a response to a growing number of countries refusing to take back their own citizens from the U.S. In many cases, if a country decides not to issue travel documents for a deportee, the only option left is to try to find a third country willing to accept them. This has created a logistical crunch—one reason deportation flights have become so frequent and worldwide.

The Trump administration has also said the new policy is meant to target dangerous people, such as those branded as violent offenders or people the government labels as undesirables. Yet critics note that these labels are sometimes used without clear evidence or due process. Many fear the system might send people who have credible fears of real danger in the countries where they’re sent.

Controversy and Differing Views

The policy is not without controversy. Some leaders in host countries say agreements are being made without enough warning to local communities. Human rights workers warn that the strategy punishes people for crossing borders and may push some into worse conditions than they left behind. Reports from Human Rights Watch suggest that some people on the deportation flights asked for asylum but were never given an interview or had their rights explained.

Legal groups in the U.S. have taken many cases to court, winning at least a temporary block on some of the most extreme actions, such as the plan to send people to Libya. These court battles show it is not always clear what rules the government must follow when it comes to third-country migrants, especially those who are afraid of persecution or violence.

Future Outlook

This new approach by the Trump administration is one of the most wide-reaching and contested in U.S. history for immigration enforcement. Moving from simply returning people to their home countries to sending them across the globe is a big change from past practice. In the months ahead, several court cases and diplomatic talks will likely define how far these deportation flights can go and what rights migrants will have while in transit and after landing.

With talks ongoing and cases still in court, it remains to be seen whether the public, legal system, and partner countries will accept these changes. Migrants, employers, students, and families touched by these removals will be watching closely. The balance between border controls, rights protection, and the relationship with partner nations will be at the heart of the ongoing debate.

For more updates and deeper analysis, VisaVerge.com provides timely reports and expert breakdowns on evolving U.S. immigration practices and the global response to these sweeping new measures.

Learn Today

Third-country migrants → People who are not citizens of the U.S. or of the countries to which they are deported.
Deportation flights → Flights organized by the government to forcibly remove migrants to different countries, often far from their homeland.
Asylum → Legal protection granted to individuals fearing persecution in their home country, often requiring an interview and court process.
Mega-prison → A very large detention facility, such as the one in El Salvador, housing accused migrants and suspected criminals.
Due process → A legal principle ensuring fair treatment and hearings before the government can remove or punish a person.

This Article in a Nutshell

The Trump administration’s aggressive use of deportation flights to send third-country migrants worldwide has sparked controversy. Over 350 flights since January 2025 signal an unprecedented approach. Legal challenges, diplomatic friction, and human rights concerns continue, as the policy’s impact grows on migrants, their families, and the global immigration system.
— By VisaVerge.com

Read more:

• Trump Administration Pressures Supreme Court to Deport Venezuelan Migrants
• Online scams exploit immigrants’ fears of deportation across the US
• Immigrants Fear for Future as U.S. Tensions Rise
• Trump Pays Undocumented Immigrants to ‘Self-Deport’
• Pentagon Spends $21M Flying Migrants to Guantanamo Bay