Trump Team Plans Aggressive Strategy Toward Latin America for Mass Deportations
Washington (CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump's team is devising a robust strategy targeting Latin America as part of an ambitious plan for mass deportations, according to two sources involved in transition policy discussions.
In his first term, Trump took a tough stance toward the region, which has been a primary source of migration to the U.S. This included imposing sanctions and threatening tariffs. In a second term, Latin America will continue to play a central role in efforts to curb migration and deport undocumented individuals. Deportations often require diplomatic cooperation, a process that has proven challenging with countries where the U.S. has tense relations.
Sources close to the transition team suggest that they are now better prepared to pursue a forceful approach by leveraging allies and potentially imposing significant consequences on countries that don't comply. This marks a return to a hardline strategy aimed at compelling countries to take back deported nationals and curb migration.
“Every tool is in our arsenal. There’s an ever-stream of creativity,” one source said.
The plan will rely heavily on Mexico, which has traditionally been instrumental in managing migration flows to the U.S., and aims to revive agreements that prevent migrants from seeking asylum if they pass through certain countries. The U.S. will also collaborate closely with Panama to block migrant routes through the Darien Gap.
Successful implementation of this strategy hinges on cooperation from regional partners, with sources confident they have identified the right incentives and pressure points to secure that cooperation.
“Everything is on the table,” one source said regarding efforts to ensure countries take back their nationals. “Once the president re-establishes credibility and consequences, it’s not something taken lightly.”
The region has experienced record migration in recent years, driven by deteriorating conditions worsened by the pandemic. This has resulted in surges at the U.S.-Mexico border, overwhelming federal resources.
Deportation efforts have become more complicated due to changing migration demographics. For example, the economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela has pushed over 7.7 million people to flee, many heading north to the U.S. While Venezuela briefly accepted deportation flights, the country has since stopped complying.
Trump’s team is considering reinstating sanctions against Venezuela, a tactic the Biden administration softened in an attempt to stabilize the country, if the government does not cooperate with deportations. However, it is uncertain whether this will have the desired effect.
“There has been change and turnover on a bilateral basis, but by the end of the first term we were very aware of the incentives and pressure points – that wasn’t something we knew or had a full understanding of coming in,” said a former official involved in the planning. “Other governments know our priorities, too – and know we’re serious about this.”
The Biden administration had secured some successes, including repatriation flights to China, but Trump’s team is preparing for a more confrontational approach.
Governments in the region are already preparing for the tougher stance they expect from Trump. A source familiar with regional discussions noted that countries are bracing for what they believe will be a “fierce and destructive” approach, with Trump exploiting every opportunity to exert pressure.
Trump’s plan to deport undocumented immigrants could have significant repercussions for the region, as many countries rely on remittances from the U.S. to support their economies.
The Trump administration is also reviewing the reinstatement of the “Remain in Mexico” program, which requires migrants to stay in Mexico while their U.S. immigration proceedings unfold.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has stated that Mexico is prepared to accept deported migrants. She noted that Mexico will work to show that migrants in the U.S. have no reason to be deported and could even benefit the U.S. economy.
Senior Mexican officials are expected to meet to discuss migration, trade, and security issues with the incoming Trump administration.
Additionally, Trump’s team plans to revive Asylum Cooperative Agreements, which were first introduced during his first term. These agreements would allow migrants to be sent to other countries in the region to apply for asylum, rather than in the U.S.
El Salvador, which has been a key ally of the Trump administration, is expected to play a significant role in re-establishing these agreements. However, cooperation from Guatemala and Honduras may prove more challenging.
“A second-term Trump administration will expand ‘burden-sharing’ deals with Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador to limit asylum-seeking pathways to the U.S.,” said a former official, adding that the goal is to broaden these agreements to as many countries and regions as possible.
While the Biden administration also attempted to secure regional commitments to share migration responsibilities, experts suggest Trump’s strategy may face significant obstacles.
“It’s a dance,” said Andrew Selee, president of the Migration Policy Institute. “The U.S. holds a lot of cards, but not all of them.”