Investigation reports more than 25,000 US deportations to third countries

An investigation by Forbidden Stories, assisted by France 24 and Radio France International, has reported that the United States deported at least 25,447 people to third countries by August 31, 2026.

The investigation said Washington had reached agreements with 35 countries to receive migrants who could not legally be returned to their countries of origin. It reported that around 20,000 people were sent to Mexico, while the remainder were transferred to 27 other countries across Latin America, Africa and the Pacific.

Seven additional agreements had also been finalised, according to the investigation, although the countries involved were not identified in the available report.

Agreements and funding

The arrangements began after Donald Trump took office in January 2025, with the United States signing deals with developing countries to accept people who had no ties to those destinations. The agreements differ over which nationalities may be deported and whether people with criminal records can be admitted.

Forbidden Stories reported that the US government had earmarked $410 million for the arrangements, including payments to receiving governments and support for organisations involved in facilitating returns. Internal State Department records cited by the investigation allocated $81 million to signatory governments, more than $178 million to the International Organisation for Migration and $123 million to the UN Refugee Agency.

The Office of Remigration, created in May 2025, handled most of the negotiations and payments, the investigation reported. The office is headed by Christian Jove Ehrhardt, a 41-year-old diplomat and former security officer.

An AFP investigation separately reported that US visa bans and other restrictions were used to pressure African governments to accept deportees. Forbidden Stories said 49 of Africa’s 54 countries had been approached over the issue.

Examples in Africa and the Pacific

Cameroon signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States on accepting deportees, and the first plane carrying deportees arrived there on January 14. Cameroon also signed a five-year health assistance programme valued at nearly $400 million. The US State Department said it would provide a further $30 million to UNHCR in Cameroon, describing the funding as intended to “facilitate the voluntary return of refugees and combat illegal immigration.”

Palau agreed to accept up to 75 third-country nationals under an arrangement associated with $7.5 million in funding. In Africa, Eswatini agreed to accept up to 160 people under a deal worth more than $5 million. The investigation reported that 32 people had arrived in Eswatini since July 2025 and that the country had accepted deportees with criminal records.

Concerns over legal protections

Lawyers cited by AFP said some deportees were being held without charge in countries where they had no personal ties and few or no rights, describing the situation as a “legal black hole.” The available findings do not provide the nationalities of all deportees or the number sent to each destination.

UNHCR said it was not a party to the bilateral agreements. The agency said US funding was being used in line with its mandate to strengthen asylum systems. An IOM spokesperson said the organisation’s decision to accept funding depended on whether its involvement would improve the lives of affected migrants, adding that it believed that was the case in these instances.

The deportation totals, funding figures and details of the agreements were presented as findings from the Forbidden Stories investigation and related data compiled with a consortium of international journalists.