The Trump administration executed a series of deportation deals known as third-country transfer agreements, facilitating the transfer of over 17,400 individuals to more than 30 countries. These transfers often occurred in defiance of federal court orders and despite successful habeas corpus petitions by the affected individuals, as highlighted by information from Human Rights First and Refugees International.
A significant majority, approximately 16,000, were moved to Mexico. This figure includes thousands of individuals not acknowledged in the administration’s March 2026 court accounting. Additionally, 1,400 people were sent to 20 other countries, including nations like Eswatini, South Sudan, and Uganda. An agreement with Costa Rica initiated regular weekly transfers starting in March 2026.
These agreements reportedly involved payments totaling at least $44 million to the receiving countries, with the transfers frequently utilized as leverage to discourage detained immigrants from pursuing their legal claims. In parallel, government attorneys filed motions to pretermit—dismiss without substantive review—thousands of asylum cases. This action drew upon data from immigration advocacy group Mobile Pathways and indicated nearly 9,500 such dismissals by February 2026. In March, the Department of Homeland Security instructed Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorneys to cease new pretermission motions.
Legal challenges mounted against the administration’s use of powerful statutory and constitutional authorities, such as the Alien Enemies Act and the suspension-of-entry statute at 8 U.S.C. § 1182(f). The legality of these measures was contested, with federal judges finding some applications unlawful. Notable instances challenged include expulsions of Venezuelans to El Salvador and forced transfers carried out without notifying individuals or allowing them to present fear-based claims.
For deeper context, the deportation agreements drew global attention with their broad impact on asylum-seekers’ lives and the legal ramifications for U.S. immigration practices. This network of international agreements and legal challenges marked a significant chapter in the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.