Guyana Becomes Latest Nation to Accept U.S. Deportees Under Third-Country Deal

Guyana on Friday became the most recent country to enter into agreements with the United States to accept individuals deported from American soil, confirming its status as a “third country” in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategy. The South American nation received a small group of deportees from Afghanistan and Cuba.

More than 30 nations have now signed pacts with Washington to take in migrants who are not citizens of those countries. The Guyanese government stated that individuals relocated through its “Assisted Voluntary Return Program” will remain in the country while their immigration cases are processed, with the possibility of eventual return to their home nations or relocation to other destinations.

According to authorities in Guyana, the U.N. International Organization for Migration is overseeing the implementation of the program. The government emphasized that it will not be responsible for housing or supporting the deportees.

Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud told the Associated Press on Saturday that six individuals from Cuba and Afghanistan arrived on Friday following vetting procedures that confirmed they had no criminal records. He noted that the agreement to host the deportees followed months of negotiations and specified that the arrangement is set for one year, constituting a temporary measure rather than permanent resettlement.

Persaud also indicated that there are currently no additional requests from the United States. Guyana is part of the Caribbean Community, a bloc of 15 nations, and joins other members such as St. Kitts and Nevis, Belize, and St. Lucia, which is expected to receive its first group this week.

The practice of deporting migrants to third countries has drawn criticism from human rights advocates, who argue the policy is inhumane and violates international law by sending people back to regions they fled due to persecution. Conversely, the Trump administration has defended the legality of these deportations, asserting they serve as an effective deterrent against illegal immigration.