Per week into his second time period, United States President Donald Trump has intensified his crackdown on immigration, constructing on his marketing campaign promise of finishing up “the most important deportation in American historical past”.
Since Trump’s inauguration on January 20, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested greater than 3,500 unauthorised immigrants throughout the US. The Trump administration has additionally began sending deportation flights — US navy plane carrying migrants to their international locations of origin or third nations.
There are 11 million unauthorised immigrants within the US, which has a inhabitants of 341 million, in keeping with estimates by the Pew Analysis Heart.
Here’s a take a look at how a number of international locations which were focused by Trump over migration are responding to his threats — by bending to his calls for, making an attempt to barter their very own offers, and in some instances by pushing again and suggesting that they may as an alternative search stronger ties with China.
Mexico
As of 2022, there have been greater than 4 million unauthorised immigrants from Mexico within the US, in keeping with Pew estimates.
On his inauguration day, Trump signed an govt motion declaring a national emergency on the US southern border that it shares with Mexico. The US navy has begun to ship 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border.
On his first day in workplace, Trump signed an executive order designating worldwide drug cartels as “terrorist organisations,” particularly mentioning Mexico. Trump additionally signed an govt order renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America.
Mexico has agreed to take Mexicans deported by the US. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration has established a deportee assist program referred to as “Mexico Embraces You” underneath which the deportees will obtain meals, medical care and assist acquiring Mexican paperwork.
Sheinbaum declared on January 22 that Mexico wouldn’t settle for non-Mexican immigrants deported by the US. However she issued an announcement Monday saying her nation had obtained an estimated 4,094 deportees, together with residents of other countries, although Mexicans represented a majority of them.
US information stories have mentioned that Mexico refused a deportation flight final week, however the circumstances of how that unfolded are unclear.
El Salvador
Pew estimates say that as of 2022, there have been 750,000 unauthorised Salvadorian immigrants from within the US, the second-highest quantity after unauthorised Mexicans.
Trump is negotiating with El Salvador for the Central American nation to additionally absorb immigrants deported by the US who aren’t from El Salvador. It will enable them to hunt asylum in El Salvador.
Trump was engaged on this settlement throughout his first time period, but it surely was by no means executed and was not pursued by Joe Biden’s administration.
The settlement, if it comes into impact, would additionally cowl undocumented migrants from international locations like Venezuela, which don’t settle for deportees from the US in the intervening time. There have been 275,000 unauthorised Venezuelan immigrants within the US as of 2022, in keeping with the Pew estimates.
Colombia
As of 2022, there have been 190,000 unauthorised immigrants from Colombia within the US, in keeping with Pew estimates.
Colombia and the US over the weekend had a short standoff over the issue of deportation flights. It began when Colombian President Petro refused to permit two US navy plane full of deported Colombian residents to land in his nation.
Petro mentioned Trump was not treating the immigrants with respect, sharing a video on X exhibiting deportees from the US in an airport in Brazil, with their palms and toes restrained.
The spat rapidly escalated, with Trump threatening tariffs on Colombian items and visa restrictions on Colombian officers. Petro countered by saying he would impose tariffs on US items.
Colombian International Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo introduced late Sunday that officers had “overcome the deadlock” and would settle for the deportees despatched by the US and had Colombia’s presidential airplane standing by to assist get the Colombians residence.
The White Home mentioned Colombia agreed to “unrestricted acceptance of all unlawful aliens from Colombia returned from the US, together with on US navy plane, with out limitation or delay”.
The primary of the 2 planes carrying Colombian deportees landed within the capital, Bogota, early on Tuesday, in keeping with native media stories.
China
As of 2022, there have been 375,000 unauthorised immigrants from China within the US, in keeping with Pew estimates. That determine additionally consists of migrants from Hong Kong and Taiwan.
China on Monday mentioned it could solely settle for deportees who’re from mainland China.
“Concerning the repatriation, China’s precept is to confirm first after which repatriate. We are going to settle for Chinese language residents who’re verified to be from the Chinese language mainland,” Ministry of International Affairs spokeswoman Mao Ning advised reporters in Beijing on Monday.
Mainland China doesn’t embody Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. China claims Taiwan, a self-governing territory, as a province. Mao didn’t clarify why Beijing plans to solely take again migrants from the mainland.
India
As of 2022, there have been 725,000 unauthorised immigrants from India within the US, in keeping with Pew estimates, the third-highest quantity after Mexico and El Salvador.
Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on Monday on the telephone and mentioned points together with immigration, Trump mentioned throughout his tackle to Home Republicans in Florida on the identical day.
Trump didn’t present particulars however mentioned India “will do what’s proper” on unlawful immigration, including that Modi would go to the US in February.
India’s Ministry of Exterior Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal mentioned throughout a weekly media briefing on January 24: “We’re in opposition to unlawful immigration, particularly as a result of it’s linked to a number of types of organised crime.”
Jaiswal mentioned that “if they’re Indian nationals, and they’re overstaying or they’re in a specific nation with out correct documentation, we are going to take them again, supplied paperwork are shared with us in order that we will confirm their nationality that they’re certainly Indians.”
Guatemala
Pew estimates say that as of 2022, there have been 675,000 unauthorised immigrants from Guatemala within the US.
A US navy plane carrying 64 immigrants flew from Texas and landed in Guatemala on Monday afternoon, American and Guatemalan officers advised Reuters on situation of anonymity.
It was the third US navy flight that Guatemala has obtained with immigrants on board since final Friday.
In late December 2024, Reuters reported that Guatemala is open to receiving deportees from Guatemala and different Central American international locations. Nonetheless, Guatemalan immigrants could be given precedence for re-integration, a Guatemalan official advised Reuters on situation of anonymity.
Honduras
Pew estimates say that as of 2022, there are 525,000 unauthorised immigrants from Honduras within the US.
However in contrast to most different nations — massive or small — Honduras has to this point pushed again on Trump’s deliberate deportations.
President Xiomara Castro mentioned on January 1: “Confronted with a hostile perspective of mass expulsion of our brothers, we must think about a change in our insurance policies of cooperation with the US, particularly within the navy area,” threatening to close down a US military base within the nation.
Amid stress from the US, Honduran International Minister Enrique Reina mentioned in an interview with native media on January 22 that the Central American nation would possibly search elevated assist from international locations together with China — whereas acknowledging the assist his nation has historically obtained from the US.
Honduras switched diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China in March 2023, lower than two years in the past. Honduras and Taiwan maintained diplomatic relations for many years earlier than this swap. Beijing’s “One China Coverage” requires all nations to decide on between China and Taiwan as a diplomatic associate.
From fiscal years 2020 to 2023, the US Division of State and the US Company for Worldwide Growth (USAID) supplied Honduras with $785m in help. The US is Honduras’s greatest support supplier, in keeping with worldwide NGO International Witness. Trump has now suspended international support to all nations aside from Israel and Egypt.
Brazil
As of 2022, there have been 230,000 unauthorised immigrants from Brazil within the US, in keeping with Pew estimates.
On Friday, a flight carrying 88 Brazilian deportees from the US was speculated to land within the metropolis of Belo Horizonte in Minas Gerais state. It made an sudden cease in Manaus, the capital of Amazonas state, the place Brazilian authorities eliminated handcuffs from the deportees.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva designated a Brazilian Air Power airplane to take the deportees to Belo Horizonte. This was the second deportation flight to Brazil utilizing a US navy airplane since Trump took workplace, in keeping with Brazilian federal police.
On Saturday, a day later, Brazil’s Ministry of International Affairs wrote a put up on X demanding a proof from the US on the “degrading remedy” of Brazilians on the flight.
Philippines
As of 2022, there have been 130,000 unauthorised immigrants from the Philippines within the US, in keeping with Pew estimates.
Officers with the Pilipino embassy in Washington, DC on Monday mentioned that that they had not but obtained any stories of Filipinos being arrested or detained since Trump took workplace this month.
The Filipino ambassador to the US, Jose Manuel Romualdez, has repeatedly requested unauthorised Filipino immigrants within the US to depart the nation and never look ahead to deportation, Philippines media reported.
