U.S. Deported 18,453 Third-Country Nationals to Mexico and Other Nations
U.S. authorities removed 18,453 third-country nationals between January 29, 2025, and March 9, 2026. Mexico received 70 percent of those deportees.
Le MondeU.S. authorities deported 18,453 third-country nationals between January 29, 2025, and March 9, 2026. Of those individuals, 12,977 were sent to Mexico. Mexico accounted for 70 percent of the total. Honduras received 7 percent, Canada 6 percent, El Salvador 2 percent, and Guatemala 2 percent.
A Human Rights Watch report released May 27, 2026, documented the destinations. The report examined U.S. agreements with third countries for receiving deported migrants. Mexico received more third-country nationals than any other listed destination. Officials have not disclosed whether Mexico received funding for these transfers.
A deputy director at Human Rights Watch stated that the Mexican president has denied any formal agreement with the United States. The same official said the president acknowledged Mexico accepted deportees for humanitarian reasons. The report described the arrangement between Mexico City and Washington as opaque.
U.S. lawmakers do not know the terms of any negotiation. One example cited in the report showed El Salvador received $4.76 million to detain 238 Venezuelans in 2025.
Transparency
5 core facts confirmed by 2+ independent outlets, though all from one ideological lane. 5 single-source, 0 disputed.
Corroborating outlets share one lane and are mostly lower-tier — treat as weakly verified.
Source lean classification not available for this article.
- Human Rights Watch reported: Mexico received the deportees under a bilateral agreement that the government of President Claudia Sheinbaum has never publicly acknowledged.
- Le Monde reported: Claudia Sheinbaum has stated that Mexico was receiving deportees from other countries for humanitarian reasons.
- Le Monde reported: The terms of the US-Mexico deportation arrangement remain undisclosed to the public and to US lawmakers.
- Le Monde reported: It is unclear whether the United States is providing funding to Mexico for receiving the deportees.
- Le Monde reported: El Salvador received $4.76 million from the US to detain 238 Venezuelans in 2025.
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