MEXICO CITY – Over the past week, Mexico has begun receiving non-Mexican deportees from the United States, President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday. This marks a shift from her earlier stance, where she had opposed such actions.
According to Sheinbaum, more than 4,000 deportees have arrived in Mexico, with the “vast majority” being Mexican nationals.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who took office last week, has vowed to carry out large-scale deportations of individuals residing in the U.S. illegally. However, Sheinbaum noted that there has not yet been a “significant” rise in the number of deportees arriving from the U.S.
Previously, Sheinbaum had stated that her administration had not consented to the Trump administration’s revival of the “Remain in Mexico” program, which forces non-Mexican migrants to wait in Mexico while their cases are processed in the U.S.
She revealed that deportees from the U.S. had so far been transported on four flights using civilian aircraft.
Last Friday, Reuters reported that Mexico had refused a U.S. military deportation flight, citing both U.S. and Mexican officials. Similar flights have sparked criticism from other countries, including Brazil and Colombia.
Brazil condemned the U.S. for its “blatant disrespect” after deportees were reportedly handcuffed during a flight. Meanwhile, tensions between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Trump escalated over Petro’s initial refusal to accept U.S. military deportation flights—bringing both nations to the edge of a trade conflict. Petro eventually agreed to accept the flights.
Sheinbaum called the agreement between Trump and Petro a “positive development” and emphasized that Mexico and the U.S. are engaged in ongoing discussions regarding immigration policies. She hinted that further agreements could be reached in the coming days.
She also noted that there is precedent for Mexico accepting non-Mexican deportees, recalling that her predecessor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, had agreed to the “Remain in Mexico” program during Trump’s first term.
