Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced that her government is seeking an agreement with US President-elect Donald Trump to prevent the country from receiving deportees from third countries in case of large-scale deportations of migrants from the United States. This move comes as a response to concerns about potential massive deportations under the incoming Trump administration.
According to NBC News, Trump’s transition team has discussed deporting migrants to places other than their home country if those nations will not accept them. The possible destinations could include Panama, Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas, and Grenada.
Mexico has played a crucial role in implementing US immigration policy by accepting migrants from countries to which the US struggles to deport people such as Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. However, with nearly half of immigrants living in the US illegally being Mexican, officials are bracing for the arrival of large numbers of Mexicans deported from the US once Trump takes office.
Sheinbaum stated that her government hopes to reach an agreement with the Trump administration so that deportees from other countries can be sent directly to their countries of origin. While not explicitly refusing migrants from other countries, Mexico’s actions indicate a desire to avoid receiving individuals who may be in need of support or protection.
In related news, the Bahamas has firmly rejected taking third-country deportees if Trump carries out his promised crackdown on immigrants in the US illegally after he comes into office on January 20. The Caribbean nation’s Prime Minister Philip Davis confirmed this stance in a statement.
Panama’s government denied having received any official communication regarding the potential deportation of migrants to their country, while officials from Turks and Caicos and Grenada did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Mexico’s Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente is currently in the United States, visiting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement center in Dallas to meet with migration officials and Mexican migrants being deported under the Biden administration. He emphasized that Mexico will receive nationals from Mexico but is working on a fruitful dialogue with the US to strengthen support and consular services for Mexicans living there.
This situation highlights the complexities of immigration policy and the need for international cooperation in addressing issues related to migrant deportation and treatment. As discussions between Mexico and the US continue, it remains to be seen how these agreements will ultimately affect the lives of migrants from various countries.
Source: US News
