The Trump administration’s immigration policy has come under fire for allocating a minimum of $40 million to deport approximately 300 migrants to third countries. Findings compiled by Democratic staff on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee reveal that this approach was expanded last year in an effort to rapidly expel immigrants from the United States. Democratic lawmakers, led by Senator Jeanne Shaheen, have criticized the third-country deportation strategy as “costly, wasteful and poorly monitored,” calling for increased scrutiny of a policy that operates with minimal transparency.
The report marks the first congressional examination of these deportation arrangements, which have seen lump-sum payments ranging from $4.7 million to $7.5 million made to five countries: Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini, and Palau. Notably, El Salvador accepted approximately 250 Venezuelan nationals in March, while other countries received much lower numbers—only 29 individuals were deported to Equatorial Guinea, and Palau has yet to accept any deportees.
Immigration authorities have intensified efforts to remove migrants to third nations. Internal documents obtained by The Associated Press indicate that there are currently 47 agreements in various stages of negotiation, with 15 finalized and 10 nearing completion. The administration is also negotiating agreements with countries willing to accept U.S. asylum applicants while their claims are processed, with 17 agreements underway and 9 officially activated.
During a recent Senate hearing, Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the third-country deportation strategy as essential to combating illegal immigration. “We’ve arrested people that are members of gangs and we’ve deported them. We don’t want gang members in our country,” Rubio stated. Despite this justification, numerous immigration rights organizations have condemned the approach, arguing that it undermines due process protections and risks leaving deportees stranded in nations with troubling human rights records.
The Democratic committee staff, during a visit to South Sudan, uncovered a fortified compound with armed security where deportees from countries such as Vietnam and Mexico were being held. Critics of the policy maintain that it is not only ineffective but also financially imprudent. The report highlights instances where migrants were deported to a third nation only for the U.S. to fund additional flights to return them to their countries of origin. Senator Shaheen commented, “In many cases, migrants could have been returned directly to their countries of origin, avoiding unnecessary flights and additional costs,” in a statement supported by Senators Chris Coons, Tammy Duckworth, Tim Kaine, Jack Rosen, and Chris Van Hollen.
Concerns also linger about the potential benefits these third countries might receive for accepting deported individuals. Following an agreement last year, South Sudan presented a list of demands to the U.S., which included support for prosecuting an opposition figure and sanctions relief for a high-ranking official accused of misappropriating over $1 billion in government funds.
In addition, Senator Shaheen has raised alarms regarding a $7.5 million payment to Equatorial Guinea, coinciding with efforts to strengthen ties with its vice president, Teodoro “Teddy” Nguema Obiang, who is under scrutiny for his lavish lifestyle amid widespread corruption allegations.
The findings from this report shine a light on the complexities and controversies surrounding the Trump administration’s immigration policies, raising critical questions about the effectiveness and ethics of third-country deportations. As Democrats call for greater oversight, the future of this approach remains uncertain.