Colombia, Mexico, Brazil And Honduras Quarrel With US Over Trump's Migrant Repatriation Process
The article interprets these four Latin American countries' position in the recent spats over the repatriation process that puts them at odds with the North American giant.
Under President Donald Trump tensions intensified between the United States and Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Honduras regarding the repatriation of migrants who resided in the country illegally leading to some media spats with the new administration in the last month. The article interprets these four Latin American countries' position in the recent spats over the repatriation process that puts them at odds with the North American giant.
The Petro-Trump emigration is the latest of these spats and it began on January 26 with President Gustavo Petro not authorizing the landing of two military planes from the US with immigrants. Colombian President Gustavo Petro objected to the treatment of undocumented Colombian nationals being repatriated from the US Petro insisted that these individuals should not be treated like criminals, advocating for their transport on commercial flights rather than military planes and without handcuffs. Trump reacted to this by threatening to impose a 25% tariff on Colombian goods and to impose sanctions on Colombian officials unless the South American government agreed to accept deported migrants with Colombia threatening to impose a 50% tariff on US goods. After a tense standoff, Colombia ultimately agreed to accept repatriated citizens, but only after Trump backed off on his tariff threats, followed by both sides claiming a political win. According to Petro, the US agreed to let Colombia use a plane of its own to pick up immigrants to travel without handcuffs or ankle shackles. On January 28 Petro published photos on his X account showing a commercial airliner transporting unrestrained Colombian nationals, signaling a framework for an agreement with the US was reached. It's important to note that Colombia temporarily suspended repatriation flights from the US earlier in 2023 due to similar concerns regarding migrant return conditions, indicating that the US government is aware making the recent situation not entirely unexpected.
In Mexico, a significant point of contention arose when the Mexican government denied a US military plane permission to land, which frustrated Trump’s plans for deportations. Additionally, Trump’s "Remain in Mexico" policy has required asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases are processed. Sheinbaum confirmed that from January 20 to January 26 Mexico has received 4,044 individuals, with most of them being Mexican nationals. Back in November 2024, Sheinbaum had stated before Trump took office that in case of deportations, Mexico was going to receive its citizens and that they had a plan set up for it but that they should be treated humanely by the US. The Mexican president has been negotiating for the US not to deport non-Mexican migrants to their custody, a practice put in place by former presidents Biden and AMLO, but to no avail.
Brazil has also encountered its share of conflicts, particularly regarding the treatment of its citizens during deportations. Videos surfaced of the detained Brazilian nationals wearing handcuffs and ankle shackles as they got off the plane which are being shared online as evidence of inhumane treatment. The Brazilian government demanded explanations from the Trump administration regarding these practices and summoned a senior US diplomat to address the issue of the deportation of Brazilian migrants. In a statement to reporters, Brazil's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, emphasized that his country's citizens cannot be subjected to such treatment while still within Brazilian territory. He further stated that Brazilian officials intend to engage in discussions with their US counterparts to devise a more dignified approach to conducting deportation flights but are unwilling to transport the migrants with their own planes like Colombia is doing to ensure they are not shackled.
When it comes to Honduras, President Xiomara Castro has opposed Trump’s threats of mass deportations, warning that such actions could lead to a breakdown in cooperation between Honduras and the US, possibly leading to the closure of US bases in the country. Early in January, Castro said in a public address that “[...] we expect the new US administration of the democratically elected President Donald Trump to be open to constructive and friendly dialogue. That it does not take unnecessary reprisals against our migrants. Faced with a hostile attitude of mass expulsion of our brothers, we would have to consider a change in our policies of cooperation with the United States, especially in the military field, in which we have not paid a cent for decades. They maintain military bases in our territory that in this case would lose all reason for existing in Honduras.”
In response to the migration crisis, Honduras is launching the "Brother, Come Home" program, aimed at providing support for returning citizens. This initiative reflects the country’s desire to manage repatriation in a less militaristic manner. The Honduran leader, in her capacity as president 'pro tempore' of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), convened an emergency meeting with the presidents and heads of state of the region just as Trump and Petro were engaging in Trade War talk.
Left-leaning Latin American leaders do not wish their governments to be portrayed as complicit in the mistreatment of their citizens or be seen as the United States "lap dogs" especially under a republican administration, which could damage their domestic reputations. For them cooperating in the repatriation process is one thing, but being on the receiving end of a mediatic spectacle designed for the enjoyment of Donald Trump’s domestic audience is quite another. Consequently, they advocate for a more humane and streamlined approach to repatriation that allows them to save face for their nationals. All of these leaders have expressed in some way or another they want to cooperate and talk to President Trump to discuss the details of the repatriation process. Thus, it would not be accurate to say that Latin American nations are opposed to receiving their detained nationals; rather, they are against the notion of being portrayed as complicit in a process that feels more like a public shaming than a diplomatic agreement.
Perhaps the most pressing factor in all of this is that Latin American states are wary of the potential economic and social strain that could result from accommodating a large influx of repatriated nationals all at once. If Trump were to expel more individuals than these countries can handle, it could exacerbate existing unemployment, poverty, and social unrest. Latin American leaders may believe that the flow of repatriation must be carefully negotiated to ensure that their nations can manage the return of their citizens effectively.
From Trump's perspective, this as a campaign promise to fulfill, so he is aiming to remove as many undocumented immigrants as possible to satisfy his base. It remains to be seen if a deal can be struck on the amounts, frequency, and conditions of the repatriation process.