The flights come as President Donald Trump escalates efforts to secure the US-Mexico border and enforce immigration laws using the military, according to The New York Times. Shortly after taking office, Trump authorized military assistance for certain immigration enforcement.
Acting Secretary of Defense Robert Salesse announced on Wednesday that the Department of Defense would support the Department of Homeland Security by providing planes for “deportation flights of more than 5,000 illegal aliens from the San Diego, California, and El Paso, Texas, sectors detained by Customs and Border Protection.” The US Embassy in Guatemala declined to confirm how many more military planes would be involved in these deportation operations.
While Guatemala has agreed to participate, other nations have been hesitant. On Thursday, Mexico reportedly denied access to a US military plane intended for deportation purposes. NBC News reported that the plane, part of the same operation as the Guatemala flights, did not take off after Mexico refused to grant access to land.
However, following reports regarding Mexico’s refusal, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later announced on X that Mexico had accepted "a record 4 deportation flights in 1 day.
“This comes in addition to unrestricted returns at the land border, the deportation of non-Mexicans, & reinstatement of Remain-in-Mexico. Mexico has also mobilized 30K National Guard,” Leavitt stated.
President Trump has maintained pressure on Mexico to bolster its border security efforts and assist with deportations. He has also threatened to impose 25 percent tariffs on Mexican imports to encourage the country to crack down on illegal immigration and drug trafficking along the southern border.
