WASHINGTON (AP) — A new report from the Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee details how the Trump administration directed at least $40 million towards deporting around 300 migrants to third countries as part of its immigration agenda. Critics have labeled this approach a costly and inefficient process lacking adequate transparency and oversight.
The report outlines that substantial payments, ranging from $4.7 million to $7.5 million, were made to nations such as Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini, and Palau for the purpose of deporting migrants to these locations — an action described by Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen and her colleagues as problematic for both its ethical implications and practical execution.
El Salvador has taken in the largest number of deportees, receiving an estimated 250 Venezuelans last year, while other nations saw virtually no deportations. For example, Equatorial Guinea received only 29 deportees, while Palau has yet to accept any.
In total, there are about 47 third-country agreements at varying stages of negotiation, indicating that this trend of third-country deportation is more extensive than previously understood. The report also poses questions about the conditions migrants face once sent abroad, highlighting alleged human rights issues in the recipient nations.
As the U.S. government forges agreements for deportation and asylum processes with these countries, immigration advocates have raised alarm about the risks posed to individuals sent to these nations, particularly those with notorious records for human rights violations.
Democratic committee members have urged for critical reflection upon these practices, emphasizing the potential for significant waste and the moral implications of such deportations. They argue that in many instances, migrants might have been returned to their countries of origin without incurring extra costs and logistical hurdles associated with third-country deportations.
“In many cases, migrants could have been returned directly to their countries of origin, avoiding unnecessary flights and additional costs,” Senator Shaheen stated, also referring to the ambiguous benefits recipient countries may obtain from these agreements.
This report underscores an urgent call for reevaluation of migration policies that not only affect individual migrants but also the diplomatic responsibilities of the United States.
