Guyana Agrees to Temporarily Host US-Deported Migrants, Officials Say

Guyana announced on Saturday that it has agreed to temporarily host migrants deported from the United States, marking a formal arrangement between the South American nation and the U.S. government.

Context of the Trump administration’s deportation campaign

The agreement follows the return of President Donald Trump to the White House in 2026, after which his administration launched a strict anti-immigrant campaign that included deporting individuals to “third countries” outside their countries of origin.

Eligibility and legal safeguards

According to AFP, Guyana has agreed to accept only a limited number of deported individuals who have no criminal record. The Guyanese presidential office, led by President Irfaan Ali, issued a statement affirming that the agreement “extends Guyana’s longstanding commitment to human rights and international cooperation.”

Regional coordination and enforcement measures

Other Central American and Caribbean nations have also agreed to cooperate with the Trump administration’s campaign. That coordination has already resulted in the deportation of 250 Venezuelans to El Salvador’s high-security CECOT prison.

Temporary nature and voluntary transfer

Guyana emphasized in its official statement that the agreement with the United States is “temporary and does not constitute permanent resettlement.” Officials added that migrants will be transferred to Guyana “voluntarily” and will await the outcome of their legal status determination while in the country.

Next steps for affected individuals

Depending on the result of that legal status determination, individuals “will either return to their country of origin or relocate to another destination of their choosing.”

Separately, Washington has threatened to cut federal funding unless U.S. states comply with new requirements to report migrant data.