Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo announced on Wednesday that Guatemala will accept migrants from other countries who are being deported from the United States. This agreement, reached during a visit by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, includes the return of deportees to their home countries at U.S. expense.
President Arévalo stated that there will be a 40% increase in the number of flights carrying deportees, including both Guatemalan nationals and individuals from other countries. Previously, Guatemala had been receiving an average of seven to eight flights per week of its citizens from the U.S., with some deportations occurring under the Trump administration on U.S. military planes.
El Salvador also announced a similar agreement, stating that they would accept U.S. deportees of any nationality, including American citizens and legal residents imprisoned for violent crimes. Both Trump and Rubio acknowledged legal complexities surrounding the deportation of Americans to other countries.
Immigration has been a focal point of Rubio's diplomatic trip to Central America, with agreements signed with both El Salvador and Guatemala to facilitate deportations. These agreements aim to address challenges in immigration enforcement, particularly for individuals in the U.S. illegally who cannot easily be returned to their home countries.
Guatemala plans to expand its capacity to receive migrants from various countries, with a focus on repatriating them to their respective nations. President Arévalo emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes of migration through development initiatives.
Additionally, Guatemala announced the formation of a new border security force to patrol its borders with Honduras and El Salvador, aimed at combating transnational crime. Rubio's visit also included discussions on counternarcotics efforts and foreign assistance programs.
Rubio's trip has been marked by the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development, with waivers issued to continue funding for key programs. The visit concluded with discussions with Mexican officials on border security, fentanyl trafficking, and illegal immigration.
