The US has sharply expanded deportations to third countries under Donald Trump, with rights groups warning of abuses and a possible return to danger for some migrants and asylum seekers.
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01Summary
- 01US immigration authorities have stepped up detentions and deportations since January 2025, when Donald Trump returned to the presidency.
- 02Department of Homeland Security data shows more than 16,000 third-country deportations between January 2025 and August 2026.
- 03Rights groups Refugees International and Human Rights First say more than 25,000 people have been subject to forcible third-country deportations, based on media reports and lawyers' information.
- 04The Trump administration has sought deals with countries including El Salvador, Eswatini, Liberia and Cameroon to take deportees, sometimes in return for aid or visa concessions.
02Why it matters
The policy affects large numbers of migrants and asylum seekers and may send some to countries where they have no ties and may face poor conditions. It also raises wider questions about how far governments can go in outsourcing deportation and asylum processing.
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