The United States has sent at least 23,000 nationals from third countries to 29 countries and territories, as part of a deportation policy that independent human rights experts have warned may expose migrants and asylum seekers to torture, persecution, and other serious violations.
The figure was released this Monday by and is part of a statement from independent human rights experts warning that the so-called "migration externalization" policy from Washington now involves more than 35 countries and territories.
"The damages caused by this scheme of the Government of the United States are no longer hypothetical," asserted the experts, who pointed out risks of torture and mistreatment, forced disappearances, and violations of the principle of non-refoulement.
That principle, known as non-refoulement, prevents sending a person to a country where they may face persecution, torture, or other serious harm.
Experts stated that the policy affects both asylum seekers and migrants at different stages of their migratory processes, and they questioned the lack of transparency in many of these agreements.
Among the highlighted risks are also arbitrary or incommunicado detention, lack of legal assistance, denial of due process, family separation, human trafficking, discrimination, and lack of access to housing, healthcare, and other basic services.
They also expressed special concern for children, women, persons with disabilities, victims of trafficking, LGBT individuals, human rights defenders, and stateless people.
Another point noted is that some agreements allow the host country to keep the migrant only temporarily and subsequently send them to another state, creating a possible chain of expulsions that could ultimately return the person to the country they fled from.
"The states cannot contractually disregard their international legal obligations," they affirmed.
Experts urged the involved countries to suspend these agreements, restore fair and effective asylum procedures, and ensure independent oversight and accountability.
The relocation of migrants to third countries has become one of the most controversial points in the immigration policy of the Donald Trump administration during 2026.
In April, for example, it was revealed that more than 13,000 migrants who were legally residing in the United States and were waiting for a decision on their asylum applications had received orders to be sent to third countries, according to data from Mobile Pathways. In this case, these were deportation orders, not transfers that had already been carried out.
The impact of this policy has also reached Cuban citizens. Human Rights Watch documented that between January 20, 2025 and March 9, 2026, the United States deported 18,453 nationals from third countries, of which 12,977 were sent to Mexico. Cubans made up the largest group, with 4,353 individuals.
In August, four Cubans refused to disembark in Liberia during the first flight conducted under an agreement between Washington and that African country. The group, which also included a Brazilian and a Cameroonian, was subsequently transferred to Equatorial Guinea.
A few days later, four Cubans and two Afghan citizens arrived in Guyana as part of the first group sent under a different agreement for deportation to third countries. According to the information released at that time, none had a criminal record and their stay would be temporary.
Politics is also facing lawsuits in U.S. courts. On September 18, federal judge Regina M. Rodríguez ordered the Trump administration to return Honduran Bryan Omar Sánchez to the United States, who had been sent to the Central African Republic on July 29 despite having a pending asylum application and protection under the Convention Against Torture.
Independent experts insisted that both the state conducting the transfer and the receiving country have obligations under international law, and that bilateral agreements do not negate those responsibilities.
"Human rights must be at the center of migration governance and not be sacrificed for the sake of deterrence," they concluded.
Las políticas migratorias de la administración estadounidense siguen generando controversia a nivel internacional. Sigue todos los desarrollos en nuestra sección de
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