265 Guatemalans Deported from the U.S. as Deportation Flights Increase

A total of 265 Guatemalans were deported from the United States on Thursday, arriving in Guatemala on three separate flights, according to the Central American country’s migration institute. Two of the flights were operated by the military, while the third was a chartered plane. The institute updated earlier figures to reflect the final count of deportees.

Simultaneously, Washington sent four deportation flights to Mexico on the same day, as confirmed by the White House press secretary in a post on X (formerly Twitter). However, U.S. media outlets reported that at least one of these flights was turned back by Mexican authorities. The Mexican government has yet to confirm the arrival of these flights or the existence of an agreement to receive a specific number of planes carrying deportees.

In response to the situation, Mexico’s foreign ministry issued a statement on Friday affirming its readiness to collaborate with Washington on deportations. The ministry emphasized that Mexico would “always accept the arrival of Mexicans to our territory with open arms.”

The increase in deportation flights underscores heightened migration tensions between the United States and its southern neighbors. Both Guatemala and Mexico have been key players in managing migration flows, as thousands of individuals from Central America seek to enter the U.S. in search of better opportunities.

This development comes as part of ongoing efforts by U.S. authorities to enforce stricter immigration measures, with deportation flights serving as a visible reminder of the administration’s focus on curbing unauthorized migration.