US deports thousands of Mexican migrants to Guatemala and Honduras

The United States has deported and sent some 2,300 Mexicans to Guatemala this year in a shifting Trump administration practice that Mexico opposes.

Mexican deportees from the US, until recently, were largely sent directly back to their country, with only a few arriving in other countries.

On Wednesday, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo confirmed that 2,284 Mexicans deported from the US have arrived in his Central American country so far this year.

"They are arriving in planes of Guatemalan returnees," Arevalo said in a televised interview.

He said the deported Mexicans are arriving in a "transit stopover" before being taken to Mexico as part of an "arrangement" with Mexico's government.

Arevalo said the Mexican deportees were transferred to their home country within 24 hours, with Mexico or the US covering the transportation costs.

What has Mexico said about the US deportations?

On Thursday, Mexico's Foreign Ministry voiced its objection to the US practice and said that it was coordinating with the countries involved to ensure the safe repatriation of its nationals.

"The Mexican government has expressed its opposition to this practice to US authorities and has reiterated that every Mexican citizen has the right to enter the country," it asserted.

The ministry did not give any details on the number of cases or costs.

What is the US' third country deportation policy under Trump?

As per international accords, migrants may be sent to third countries if their home country rejects them or if it is unsafe for them to be sent back. Otherwise, they should be directly deported back to their country of citizenship.

The Trump administration has however been using third-country deportations to send back migrants, striking bilateral agreements with several countries, including Mexico, to receive migrants from other countries.

Immigration experts say that by sending Mexicans through Guatemala or other third countries, thereby moving them farther from the US-Mexico border, the US wants to make it more difficult for them to cross back into its territory.

Mexicans sent back via Honduras: reports

According to reports, some Mexicans deported by the US were also being sent to Honduras.

The Associated Press cited official documents from Honduras as showing that 82 Mexican deportees from the US arrived in the city of San Pedro Sula aboard two flights last week, with an additional 35 who were due to arrive Thursday.

There was no immediate statement from the Honduran government.

According to the 'Third Country Deportation Watch' tracker of Human Rights First and Refugees International, Honduras received 165 Mexicans by mid-July and another 37 Mexicans have been deported from the US to Honduras by mid-August so far.

In a press release this week, the organizations deemed the third country transfers by the US government as an "opaque and cruel system," saying that "thousands of individuals have been subjected to arbitrary detention, family separations, and chain refoulement in third countries."