Guatemala may accept more Foreign nationals were deported From the United States by the incoming Trump administration in an attempt to strengthen relations with the United States, according to a report.
The officials who spoke to Reuters said Guatemala is prepared to receive deported citizens from other Central American countries — such as Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti — that have had strained relations with the United States and have not accepted deportees in the past.
“There must be a regional response,” a Guatemalan official told Reuters. “And we want to be part of the solution.”
Trump is expected to fulfill his campaign promise to begin the largest mass deportation of illegal immigrants in American history, and Guatemala wants to be in the president’s favor throughout this process. Officials are preparing to increase deportations in the fall, considering that it will take some time for the Trump administration to ramp up its operations, according to Reuters.
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Guatemalan migrants pictured after arriving at La Aurora Air Base on a deportation flight from the United States, in Guatemala City, Guatemala, November 8, 2024. (Reuters/Jose Decavelli/archive photo)
“We are not prepared for this, but we know it is coming,” said a second Guatemalan government official.
Guatemala is currently receiving 14 deportation flights per week under President Biden’s administration.
Trump’s transition team did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Trump’s team has reportedly reached out to other countries in Central and South America to gauge their willingness to accept deportations from the United States. Several governments, including Mexico and the Bahamas, have said they do not want to accept foreign nationals from third countries.
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A migrant woman talks with her family members as Guatemalan Migration Institute staff process her after arriving on deportation flights from the United States and Mexico, in Guatemala City, Guatemala, on January 23, 2024. (Reuters/Kristina Chaikin/archive photo)
In 2022, more than 40% of Illegal immigrants Those living in the United States came from Mexico, where they numbered 4.8 million out of 11 million overall, according to the US Department of Homeland Security report. It was followed by Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, which together accounted for more than a fifth of the total.
Guatemala has reportedly been more proactive in courting the incoming Trump administration, compared to its neighbors El Salvador and Honduras, according to Reuters. Members of Trump’s transition team met with Guatemalan officials, including Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., ahead of his nomination for secretary of state, along with several staffers from the conservative Heritage Foundation, which specializes in immigration and border security. Drug trafficking and policy towards China.
The second official said Guatemala would prioritize Guatemalan citizens for reintegration, adding that each country must bear its responsibility towards its citizens, but also highlighted a regional agreement between Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador that allows freedom of movement.
The hope is that those deported from the United States will use the skills they learned in the United States to work in the private sector in Guatemala.
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A police officer stands guard as Guatemalan migrants walk after arriving at La Aurora Air Base on a deportation flight from the United States, in Guatemala City, Guatemala, November 8, 2024. (Reuters/Jose Decavelli/archive photo)
“These are people who have worked in construction, in the service industry, in various sectors, and many of them speak English. We want to exploit that,” the official said.
Officials who spoke to Reuters also noted that further deportations could put pressure on Guatemala’s economy.
Money transfers, or Money sent home by Guatemalan workers In the United States, it represents about 20% of the country’s gross domestic product.
In 2023, remittances accounted for 24% of El Salvador’s GDP and nearly 30% of Honduras’ GDP.
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Officials told Reuters they were not immediately concerned about the economic impact of the decline in remittances, but expressed concerns about Trump’s proposed tariff increases or higher taxes on remittances.
The second official said: “We don’t have a financial plan yet. There are a lot of unknowns.”
Reuters contributed to this report.
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