US Military Planes Deport Guatemalans Amid Trump’s Immigration Crackdown

Two U.S. military planes carrying dozens of expelled migrants arrived in Guatemala on Friday, marking a significant moment in President Donald Trump’s intensified deportation campaign.

The Guatemalan Migration Institute confirmed the arrival of the first flight at midnight, carrying 79 Guatemalans — 48 men and 31 women. A second flight landed Friday morning, though the number of passengers remains unspecified.

The White House had announced late Thursday that “538 illegal immigrant criminals” had been arrested and hundreds deported as part of what it called “the largest massive deportation operation in history.”

However, Guatemalan officials have not confirmed if those deported on Friday were among the figures cited by the U.S.

“These are flights that took place after Trump took office,” an official from the Guatemalan vice president’s office told AFP. A Pentagon source added that “overnight, two DOD (Department of Defense) aircraft conducted repatriation flights from the U.S. to Guatemala.”

The deportees were taken to a reception center at an air force base in Guatemala City, shielded from media access.

Trump’s Immigration Policy Intensifies

On his first day of his second term, Trump signed executive orders declaring a “national emergency” at the southern border, ramped up troop deployment, and pledged to deport “criminal aliens.” His administration also reinstated the controversial “Remain in Mexico” policy, requiring asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border to remain in Mexico while their applications are processed.

Friday’s deportation flights follow the Trump administration’s announcement of its intent to overhaul immigration policies and tighten border security. A White House image posted on X showed men in shackles boarding a military aircraft, captioned: “Deportation flights have begun.”

Deportation flights were also a key feature of President Joe Biden’s administration, which removed approximately 270,000 people in fiscal year 2023 — more than during any year of Trump’s first presidency.

Trump’s current term has seen heightened restrictions, including halting asylum programs for those fleeing authoritarian regimes in Central and South America, leaving thousands stranded on the Mexican side of the border.

The Guatemalan arrivals highlight the broader regional implications of U.S. immigration policy and its impact on Central American nations.

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