Thousands of Deportees Stranded in Mexico: A Human Rights Concern
In the wake of recent deportations, thousands of individuals from countries such as Cuba and Venezuela find themselves in a precarious situation in Mexico. This issue, highlighted in a report by Human Rights Watch, underscores the plight of nearly 13,000 non-Mexicans expelled to Mexico since the onset of the Trump administration.
Notably, Cubans constitute the largest group among these deportees, with over 4,000 of them having been sent to Mexico. Many of these individuals had legally migrated to the United States during the 1980s and 1990s but had lingering deportation orders due to nonviolent offenses. Human Rights Watch’s Alcira Silva Hava noted that Cuba’s general reluctance to accept deportees from the U.S. had led many to believe they would remain in the United States.
“It was only after the beginning of the second Trump administration that they were picked up by ICE, detained in inhumane conditions and deported to Mexico,” Silva Hava stated.
The situation is particularly dire for those interviewed in Mexico, as many are elderly and suffer from chronic health issues. Separated from their families in the United States, some are now homeless and vulnerable to organized crime in various parts of Mexico.
The specifics of the United States’ agreement with Mexico regarding third-country deportations remain undisclosed. Since January 2025, Mexico has accepted the most third-country deportees from the U.S., raising concerns about transparency in the deal’s terms.
“We are really trying to push for there to be transparency,” Silva Hava emphasized. “Currently we don’t know anything about the arrangement between Mexico and the U.S., which is particularly concerning because of the volume.”
