Guatemala Receives First Deportation Flight Under Trump Administration

The United States has commenced deportation flights to Guatemala as part of President Donald Trump’s intensified immigration policies. On Friday, two military planes carrying 80 Guatemalans landed in the Central American country, signaling the start of a large-scale operation to remove undocumented migrants.

According to the Guatemalan Migration Institute, the deportees included 31 women, 48 men, and one unaccompanied teenager. Upon arrival, they were provided with food, clothing, hygiene kits, and psychosocial support.

The White House confirmed the operation, with President Trump emphasizing his administration’s stance: “Those who enter the United States illegally will face serious consequences.”

While the group’s connection to the 538 immigrants arrested or the “hundreds” expelled as announced Thursday remains unclear, the Guatemalan government has yet to disclose further details.

The Trump administration’s measures aim to curb migration from Latin America through expedited deportations, restricted access to asylum, and increased militarization of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Migration and regional security, including Trump’s controversial threat to seize the Panama Canal, are expected to dominate discussions during U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s upcoming visits to Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.

Deportation flights are not new, as similar operations were conducted under the Biden administration. Between June and December last year, over 860 flights deported approximately 271,000 people, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The latest deportation underscores ongoing tensions over migration policies, as the U.S. and Latin American nations grapple with the challenges of cross-border movement and its humanitarian impact.