The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has publicly confirmed that more than 25,000 migrants were deported to 28 countries that are not their countries of origin. DHS addressed the reports in a post on X on Wednesday, September 23, framing the third-country deportations as a response to diplomatic requests rather than a unilateral policy decision. The announcement drew attention to the scale and scope of the Trump administration's deportation programme since January.
According to DHS, the third-country deportations were conducted at the request of the migrants' home governments, which had formally asked Washington not to return the individuals to their countries of origin. The department did not elaborate further on which countries made such requests or the specific grounds on which they were made. The figures cited in the reports indicate that the United States carried out these removals across 28 different countries.
The Trump administration has consistently defended its immigration enforcement posture as necessary to restore order at the border and uphold national security, framing mass deportations as a fulfilment of a core campaign commitment. Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, immigration enforcement has been among the most aggressively pursued policy priorities of his administration.
The administration moved swiftly to restore and expand deportation operations, directing federal agencies to increase removals and target individuals without legal status across the country. The deportation of migrants to third countries, rather than their home nations, forms a distinct and controversial strand of that broader effort.
The arrangement typically occurs when a migrant's country of origin refuses to accept deportation flights or declines to issue the necessary travel documents, prompting US officials to seek alternative destinations willing to receive the individuals. DHS's terse public response confirmed that the third-country deportations were conducted at the request of the migrants' home governments.
In a post on X, DHS wrote, "Because they asked us not to send them to their home countries. No need to say thanks." The department's statement highlights the diplomatic nature of the deportations, but does not provide further details on the specific arrangements or the countries involved.
The scale of third-country removals reflects both the volume of deportation activity under the current administration and the breadth of diplomatic arrangements underpinning the programme. The US government's deportation efforts have been a key aspect of its immigration policy, with the Trump administration seeking to increase removals and enforce immigration laws.
Key points
- The US Department of Homeland Security confirms that over 25,000 migrants were deported to 28 countries that are not their countries of origin.
- The third-country deportations were conducted at the request of the migrants' home governments.
- The Trump administration has defended its immigration enforcement posture as necessary to restore order at the border and uphold national security.
