STORY: Guatemala has received around 2,300 Mexicans deported from the United States so far this year, according to the Guatemalan government, offering fresh details on a Trump administration practice intended to deter migration but opposed by Mexico.

"They are arriving in planes of Guatemalan returnees," Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo said in a televised interview late on Wednesday (August 19).

He said the deported Mexicans were transferred to their home country within 24 hours, with transportation costs covered by Mexico or the U.S.

Mexico's foreign ministry said in a statement it opposed the practice and was working to repatriate citizens deported to Central America, without specifying the number of cases or costs.

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department did not, when asked, say why Mexican citizens were deported to another country and reaffirmed commitment to existing policies.

Under international accords, deportees are usually sent directly to their country of citizenship. Migrants may be sent to third countries if their home country rejects them or if the conditions are unsafe.

But under U.S. President Donald Trump's migration crackdown, more migrants are being deported to third countries, sometimes under bilateral agreements. Mexico has usually accepted U.S. deportees directly.

Immigration experts said routing Mexicans through Guatemala or other countries may be intended to make illegal reentry to the U.S. more difficult by moving them farther from the U.S.-Mexico border.

On Friday (August 21), a flight carrying at least 42 Mexican migrants coming from different parts of the United States landed in Guatemala City, according to deputy director general of the Guatemalan Institute of Migration, Carlos Woltke.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (AUGUST 21, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. PLANE ON WHICH RETURNED MEXICANS AND GUATEMALANS ARRIVED ON

2. VARIOUS OF MEXICANS AND GUATEMALANS LISTENING TO INSTRUCTIONS AT RETURNEE RECEPTION CENTRE

GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (AUGUST 19, 2026) (GUATEMALA PRESIDENCY - Access all)

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF GUATEMALA, BERNARDO AREVALO, SAYING:

"Mexican citizens are arriving in planes with Guatemalan returnees and we have coordinated with the Mexican government so that these people who are arriving in Guatemala pass in transit to enter Mexican territory in less than 24 hours."

GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (AUGUST 21, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

4. VARIOUS OF MEXICANS AND GUATEMALANS LISTENING TO INSTRUCTIONS AT RETURNEE RECEPTION CENTRE

GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (AUGUST 19, 2026) (GUATEMALA PRESIDENCY - Access all)

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESIDENT OF GUATEMALA, BERNARDO AREVALO, SAYING:

"There is no stay, there is no refuge, there is no... no entity that can be considered as an entity that constitutes a safe third country, because they come in transit, in less than 24 hours, with expenses that are covered by the Mexican government or in other cases by the American government in certain matters."

GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (AUGUST 21, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

6. VARIOUS OF STAFF FROM MEXICAN EMBASSY IN GUATEMALA WATCHING RECEPTION OF MEXICAN MIGRANTS

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (AUGUST 21, 2026) (MEXICO GOVERNMENT TV - Access all)

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN INTERIOR MINISTER, ROSA ICELA RODRIGUEZ, SAYING [SOUNDBITE CONTINUES OVER DIFFERENT SHOTS OF RODRIGUEZ AT PRESS CONFERENCE]:

"We respect the decisions taken in other countries on migration policy, but we do not share that our compatriots are transferred to a third country before arriving in Mexico, since we are receiving them directly and with an agreement we have with them we are receiving them immediately at different airports and also on the northern border. So if there is an agreement, let's continue with that agreement that we do not need them to be sent to a third country. So we spoke about that firmly, respectfully, but firmly, to tell them (referring to U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson, and his team) that we do not agree with that decision."

GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (AUGUST 21, 2026) (REUTERS - Access All)

8. RETURNEES RECEIVING BAG WITH PERSONAL HYGIENE ITEMS

9. RETURNEES IN LINE

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RETURNED GUATEMALAN MIGRANT, OSCAR ALONZO PEREZ, SAYING:

"They should not do that (take the Mexicans to Guatemala), send them directly (to Mexico), because they already came all the way here, they travel again and one gets tired coming on the plane, in shackles and after about an hour and a half they take off the cuffs and they treat you badly, they treat you like a dog when you come."

11. BUS ON WHICH MEXICANS ARE TRANSFERRED TO MEXICO DEPARTING

12. BUS DEPARTING