US Spent $40 Million on Roughly 300 Deportations to Third Nations, Democratic Report Finds

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According to a report compiled by the Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the Trump administration spent at least $40 million to deport roughly 300 migrants to countries other than their own over the last year. The Democrats on the committee criticize the practice of 'third country deportations' as costly, wasteful, and poorly monitored, and call for serious scrutiny of a policy that now operates largely in the dark.

Why it matters

The report highlights concerns over the Trump administration's expansion of the practice of deporting migrants to third countries, which immigration advocacy groups have criticized as a reckless tactic that violates due process rights and can strand deportees in countries with poor human rights records. The report also raises questions about the benefits these third countries may receive or expect in return for accepting the deportees.

The details

The report found lump sum payments ranging between $4.7 million and $7.5 million to five countries - Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini and Palau - to deport migrants to those nations. El Salvador has received about 250 Venezuelan nationals, while the other nations received far fewer deportees. The administration is also negotiating agreements with countries that will accept U.S. asylum seekers while their asylum claims are processed, although the administration claims these agreements do not necessarily need to be concluded for people to be sent there.

• The Trump administration expanded the practice of third country deportations over the last year.

What they’re saying

What’s next

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