According to internal federal government documents from CBS News, the Trump administration has contacted faraway countries to assist its mass deportation efforts, requiring countries such as Angola and Equatorial Guinea to accept non-citizen immigration.
The negotiations are part of a strong diplomatic campaign by the Trump administration to convince as many countries as possible, including those with a disputed human rights record, to receive deported people from the United States, such as immigrants whose home country would not withdraw them.
The government has established agreements with several Latin American countries willing to accept immigration that is not their own. February, the United States Deported Hundreds of African and Asian immigrants to Costa Rica and Panama. In March, the Trump administration Nearly 300 Venezuela were dispatched Accused of being a member of the gang in El Salvador who imprisoned them in a notorious large prison.
Guatemala also agreed to accept people deported by third countries of the U.S. Mexican government, which has taken over immigration from other Latin American countries, such as Venezuela, under a deal ahead of Trump's second term.
But behind the scenes, the Trump administration has been negotiating with countries outside the Western Hemisphere to send immigrants thousands of miles away to the Atlantic Ocean, to places in Africa and Europe.
The Trump administration has identified as potentially accepting third-country nationals in the eastern half of the countries including Angola, Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Esvatini, Libya, Moldova and RwandaAccording to internal government documents and officials. The United States has not announced any formal deals with these countries.
The Wall Street Journal reported internal talks with some of these countries in April. Negotiations with Angola and Equatorial Guinea have not been reported before.
It is not clear who will be sent to a third country if any deportation arrangement is determined. However, internal government documents show that an idea being considered is that the United States will use a deal to expel suspicious members of Tren de Aragua A focus His suppression of illegal immigrants.
How governments that are not their own will treat deportation is also an open question. For example, as part of an arrangement with El Salvador, the United States agreed to provide millions of dollars to the El Salvador government to detain Venezuelans deemed a member of Tren de Aragua.
The Department of Homeland Security representatives would comment on issues regarding deportation negotiations and how the potential agreement would work, and the department did not immediately comment on the CBS News report.
Embassies in Angola, Benin, Esvatini, Libya, Moldova and Rwanda did not respond to requests for comment. "The embassy is not aware of any such dialogue that occurred between the two governments," said the representative of the embassy in Equatorial Guinea.
Western countries have been struggling with immigration crisis in recent years, with political opponents seeking diplomatic agreements that allow them to re-convene immigrants and asylum seekers to join third countries.
Trump's first administration convinced El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras to sign a "safe third country" deal that allowed the United States to transfer immigrants to those countries at the U.S.-Mexico border; although only one deal was implemented before the Biden administration was scrapped.
In 2022, the UK established a "safe third country" agreement with Rwanda, but eventually stopped production due to fierce controversy and legal challenges. Under another arrangement, Albania agreed to host migrants detained in Italy, although the effort has been partially blocked by the judge.
Andrew Selee, chairman of the Institute for Immigration Policy, a Washington-based research group, said there are many legal, political and humanitarian issues regarding the deal the Trump administration is considering, including whether the United States will try to ensure that deportees in receiving countries are not abused.
The April court ruled banned the Trump administration from sending deported people to third countries without informing them of their destination and allowing them to screen for any concerns about their harm there.
But Selee said even if the scope of deportation is limited or restricted in court, it is mainly to prevent immigrants from entering or staying in the United States illegally.
"It conveys a message that will make people afraid of unauthorized to the United States," Serry said. "And it allows them to say they can expel people from any nationality somewhere."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stood with Mr. Trump at a White House cabinet meeting to confirm that the Trump administration is “actively looking for other countries to seize the third country.”
"We are working with other countries, 'We want to send you some of the meanest human beings,'" Rubio said. "'Will you do this, for our favor?
