The United States has deported at least 25,447 migrants to 28 countries where many had no previous connection, under third-country deportation agreements established by the administration of President Donald Trump, according to a new international investigation.
The investigation, coordinated by Forbidden Stories and involving journalists from multiple countries, found that the US government had committed at least $410 million to facilitate the arrangements between January 2025 and August 2026.
The figures show the scale of a deportation system in which migrants are removed not directly to their countries of origin, but to other countries that have agreed to receive them.
Mexico received the largest number, with about 20,000 migrants, while thousands more were transferred to countries across Africa, Latin America and the Pacific. Agreements have also been concluded with additional countries, according to the investigation.
The investigation found that the US approached 49 of Africa’s 54 countries about accepting migrants deported from the United States.
Negotiations have largely been handled by the State Department’s Office of Remigration, established in 2025 and headed by diplomat Christian Jove Ehrhardt.
Countries involved include Cameroon and Eswatini, where deportees have arrived under separate agreements.
In Cameroon, the first aircraft carrying deportees under the arrangement reportedly arrived on January 14, 2026. The country also entered into a five-year health assistance programme with the US valued at nearly $400 million, while the State Department announced an additional $30 million for UNHCR activities in Cameroon.
In Eswatini, migrants from countries including Jamaica, Cambodia and others have been transferred under an agreement that permits the country to receive third-country nationals. Some deportees have reportedly been held in a high-security prison without charge.
Internal US State Department records reviewed by the investigators reportedly show that $81 million was earmarked for governments that signed the agreements.
More than $178 million was allocated for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), while $123 million was designated for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
The involvement of the UN agencies has drawn scrutiny. UNHCR said it was not a party to the bilateral deportation agreements and that US funding it received was being used within its mandate. IOM, meanwhile, said its involvement was based on whether it could improve conditions for affected migrants.
The arrangements have also faced legal challenges in the United States. On September 18, a federal appeals court rejected a policy allowing rapid deportations to third countries without adequate opportunity for migrants to raise safety concerns, although the administration has continued to pursue appeals.
The investigation has brought renewed attention to the growing use of third-country deportations and the legal and humanitarian questions surrounding migrants sent to countries where they have no established ties.
