Trump Administration Deportations to 3rd Countries Cost Taxpayers Over $40M: Report

Democratic congressional report finds high costs and lack of oversight in Trump-era deportation deals.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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A new Democratic congressional report has found that the Trump administration's deportations to third countries last year cost taxpayers 'upward of $40 million,' with some third-country migrants costing more than $1 million each to deport. The report alleges a lack of oversight and transparency around these deals, which were intended to 'scare people' according to a U.S. official quoted in the document.

Why it matters

The findings raise concerns about the significant taxpayer funds spent on the Trump administration's aggressive deportation policies, as well as questions about the oversight and human rights implications of sending migrants to countries with poor human rights records.

The details

The 30-page report, produced by Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, examined third-country deportations undertaken by the Trump administration. It found that over $32 million was sent directly to Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini, and Palau - with some funds sent before any third-country nationals arrived. The report alleges a lack of oversight, with U.S. officials in at least one country instructed not to follow up on how deportees were being treated. It also criticizes the administration for making 'secret deals' with foreign countries to accept third-country nationals.

  • The report analyzed deportation data through January 2026.

The players

Trump Administration

The former presidential administration of Donald Trump, which implemented aggressive deportation policies.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal law enforcement agency that carried out deportations under the Trump administration.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee

The U.S. Senate committee that produced the report examining the Trump administration's third-country deportation policies.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen

The top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who criticized the Trump administration's deportation practices as the 'epitome' of 'fraud, waste and abuse'.

Tommy Pigott

A spokesman for the State Department who defended the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts in response to the report.

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What they’re saying

“Contrary to what they might have hoped, this report only underlines much of the unprecedented work that the Trump administration has done to enforce our immigration laws. Astonishingly, some in Congress still want to go back to a time just 14 months ago when cartels had free rein to poison Americans and our border was open.”

— Tommy Pigott, State Department spokesman (mycentraloregon.com)

“This report outlines the troubling practice by the Trump Administration of deporting individuals to third countries — places where these people have no connection — at great expense to the American taxpayer and raises serious questions.”

— Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Top Democrat, Senate Foreign Relations Committee (mycentraloregon.com)

The takeaway

The report highlights the significant taxpayer costs and lack of oversight associated with the Trump administration's aggressive deportation policies, raising concerns about human rights and the use of 'secret deals' to send migrants to third countries with poor human rights records.