Trump’s deportation strategy: The 7 Latin American countries with the most expelled Immigrants

Since taking office on January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump has intensified immigration enforcement, leading to a surge in deportations of Latin American immigrants. Under his administration’s Project 2025, key policies such as Humanitarian Parole and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) have been eliminated, making deportations faster and more aggressive.

This shift has particularly impacted seven Latin American countries, which have seen thousands of their nationals expelled from the U.S. in recent weeks. With tensions rising over these deportation flights, some nations have pushed back, while others have cooperated under diplomatic agreements.

ALSO SEE: Federal backlash over upstate NY sheriff’s release of Migrant sparks Sanctuary Policy Debate

Which are the 7 countries from Latin America with the most expelled immigrants

Since January 20, 2025, the day Donald Trump took office, multiple deportation flights have been recorded, returning expelled immigrants from the United States. While some countries have received deportees on military aircraft, others have accepted repatriations via commercial flights:

• Mexico: President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that between January 20 and 26, Mexico received 4,094 deported individuals. The majority were transported on commercial flights and handed over to Mexican immigration authorities.
• Colombia: Initially, the Colombian government refused to accept a deportation flight carrying migrants on a U.S. military aircraft, causing tensions between Trump and President Gustavo Petro. However, on January 28, Colombia reversed its stance, accepting two flights carrying 201 deported immigrants, most of whom had been detained in California.
• Guatemala: On January 30, a U.S. military plane landed in Guatemala, carrying 80 deported migrants.
• Ecuador: On January 28, a flight carrying 80 deported individuals arrived in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Ecuadorian authorities confirmed they would continue accepting deported groups from the United States.
• Honduras: According to DW, on January 31, two flights carrying 78 deported migrants and 48 individuals expelled from El Paso, Texas, were scheduled to land in Honduras.
• Brazil: The Trump administration recently deported 88 individuals on a commercial flight to Brazil. The government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed discontent over the treatment of the deported passengers.
• El Salvador: In recent days, hundreds of Salvadorans have been deported via commercial flights. Reports suggest that Trump and President Nayib Bukele may reach an agreement to accept deportation flights operated by U.S. military aircraft.

What are the new Trump's strategy to deport immigrants?

Donald Trump’s Project 2025 aims to tighten immigration policies further and expedite the removal of undocumented foreigners. Some of its most controversial measures include:

• Eliminating immigration protection programs such as Humanitarian Parole and Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
• Establishing temporary detention centers to hold undocumented individuals before deportation.
• Launching "Operation Aurora", which focuses on deporting Green Card holders with criminal records.