US military planes carrying deported migrants have landed in Guatemala. Authorities confirmed that 265 Guatemalans arrived on three flights: two military-operated and one chartered. These flights are part of President Trump’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.
On Thursday, the US also sent four deportation flights to Mexico. However, Mexican officials did not confirm their arrival. The White House did mention that at least one plane was turned back. Despite this, Mexico’s foreign ministry expressed its willingness to cooperate with the US in deporting Mexican nationals, stating it would “always welcome our citizens back with open arms.”
Over 1,000 arrests in recent days
The White House announced that it had arrested over 1,000 individuals in just two days. This marks part of the largest deportation operation in history. Authorities arrested 538 people on Thursday and 593 on Friday, a dramatic increase from previous years.
Under former President Biden, deportation flights continued, with around 270,000 deportations in 2024—a 10-year record. His administration also made over 113,000 arrests. That’s an average of around 310 daily arrests.
Trump’s stronger immigration policies
President Trump has pushed for tougher measures since beginning his second term. He reinstated the “Remain in Mexico” policy. This requires asylum seekers to wait in Mexico until their cases are processed. Trump has also focused deportations on “criminal aliens,” referring to individuals involved in serious crimes like murder.
The White House suspended an asylum programme that supported people fleeing authoritarian regimes in Latin America. This left thousands of migrants stranded in Mexico. Trump’s administration also aims to send more troops to the southern border to tighten security.
