Miscommunication and confusion over the Pentagon’s manifesto caused Mexico this week to reject a U.S. deportation flight transporting illegal immigrants to that country.
Mexico was prepared to accept the deportees but may not be able to due to paperwork, a senior State Department official told Fox News.
NBC News, citing two U.S. defense officials and a third person, said two Air Force C-17s carried about 80 people toward Guatemala on Thursday night. reported flying DeCoatee outside of the United States.
A third flight to Mexico never took off after Mexico refused to agree to land, the report said. Fox News Digital contacted the White House and the Mexican Embassy in Washington, D.C.
‘National emergency’: Trump declares ambitious crackdown on illegal immigration in inaugural address
People are on board a US military aircraft. The White House announced on Friday that “deportation flights have begun” in the United States (White House)
Opening an airport to a foreign country requires cooperation from that country’s government. Cooperation was not an issue, Fox News said.
About 2,000 illegal immigrants were deported to Mexico on Thursday, both on the ground and by air. Additionally, Mexico has detained approximately 5,000 migrants within its borders.
The incident occurred as the Trump administration’s harsh illegal immigration policies strained relations between the countries.
Trump goes toe-to-toe with sanctuary cities over deportations as crackdown on illegal immigration begins
President Claudia Sinbaum and President Donald Trump (Getty Images)
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she opposes Trump’s executive orders to combat illegal immigration, including reinstating the “Remain in Mexico” policy.
Before taking office this week, Trump promised large-scale deportations, initially targeting criminal illegal immigration and tough immigration standards and vetting procedures.
A State Department official told Fox News that Mexico’s cooperation has been successful all week and that Mexico has agreed to reimplement its “Remain in Mexico” policy.
Trump also ordered 1,500 active-duty troops to the southern border, boosting the military presence there.
Migrants were taken to a shelter in Tijuana, Mexico, on January 21, 2025, and deported into Mexican waves as they crossed the El Chaparral pedestrian border bridge.
Click here to get the Fox News app
In recent days, federal immigration authorities have made hundreds of arrests, including gang members and others with criminal records, as part of Trump’s massive deportation effort.
Source link