The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, has announced that her country has welcomed approximately 4,094 individuals deported from the United States in the week since Donald Trump assumed office there.
This number includes people from other nations, with the majority being Mexican, as specified by Sheinbaum.
She mentioned that there has not been a significant increase in non-citizens arriving in the country.
Sheinbaum’s statement on Monday comes at a crucial time for diplomacy in Latin America, as the region prepares for changes under Trump’s second term as US president.
Trump had campaigned on a promise to lead a “mass deportation” effort and has also vowed to advance an assertive “America First” foreign policy platform.
Over the weekend, these efforts clashed with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, after the left-wing leader initially refused to accept US deportees arriving on military flights.
Colombia has been a key ally of the US, especially in the global “war on drugs”.
Nevertheless, Trump responded to Petro’s refusal by threatening to increase tariffs against Colombia, first by 25 percent and later by 50 percent. His administration also cancelled visa appointments at the US embassy in Bogota, Colombia’s capital.
Petro indicated that he would retaliate with tariffs against the US. However, by Sunday evening, he had backed down, allowing the deportation flights to resume.
A return to ‘Remain in Mexico’?
Reports in the US indicate that Mexico also declined access to a US military flight carrying deportees last week, although the circumstances that prevented the plane from landing remain unclear.
In the past, Sheinbaum and her administration have disapproved of what they called “unilateral deportations” from the US.
In December, Sheinbaum also stressed that her priority would be to receive Mexicans, rather than citizens from other countries.
“Our main responsibility is to receive Mexicans,” she stated. “We hope to reach an agreement with the Trump administration in case deportations occur, so they also send people from other countries back to their countries of origin.”
However, Sheinbaum emphasized on Monday that Mexico has a history of accepting non-citizen deportees from the US.
She cited her predecessor and political mentor, former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
During the administration of former US President Joe Biden, Lopez Obrador agreed to receive up to 30,000 migrants and asylum seekers from Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Haiti each month.
In 2019, during Trump’s first term, Lopez Obrador committed to a policy known as “Remain in Mexico,” which required asylum seekers to stay in the country while applying for asylum at the US border.
Critics had condemned the policy as a violation of humanitarian law, which allows asylum seekers to cross borders to escape imminent persecution.
They also pointed out that under the “Remain in Mexico” policy, asylum seekers would be vulnerable to abuse from corrupt officials and cartels operating along the Mexican side of the border.
The policy was officially ended in 2021 under Biden. However, Trump intends to reinstate “Remain in Mexico” during his second term. He was inaugurated on January 20.
Although Sheinbaum has not publicly agreed to the proposal yet, she indicated on Monday that an agreement could be reached to keep non-citizens in Mexico.
“In the case of individuals who are not Mexican, there is also prior coordination,” Sheinbaum said.
“The United States has also had ongoing communication with other governments, particularly in Central America.”
She added that Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente was continuing discussions with the Trump administration “specifically on the issue of migration and the repatriation of Mexicans.”
Emphasis on ‘dialogue and respect’
On Monday, Sheinbaum also commended the resolution of the US conflict with Colombia, which had the potential to trigger a regional trade dispute.
“We believe it is positive that an agreement has finally been reached between the Colombian government and the United States government,” she said. “Dialogue and respect should prevail.”
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has highlighted its clash with Colombia as a demonstration of the effectiveness of its foreign policy.
“The Government of Colombia has agreed to all of President Trump’s conditions, including the unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the United States, including on US military aircraft,” stated White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement on Sunday.
“Today’s events have made it clear to the world that America is once again respected.”
Faced with reports last week that Mexico had also rejected a deportation flight, Leavitt responded with another statement praising Mexico’s cooperation.
“Thanks to President Trump: Yesterday, Mexico accepted a record 4 deportation flights in 1 day!” Leavitt wrote.
However, the military-led deportation flights are likely to lead to ongoing tensions in the region.
In a statement on Saturday, officials in Brazil criticized the use of handcuffs on US deportation flights, describing it as a display of “blatant disregard” for human rights.
Trump also stated that the retaliatory measures against Colombia “are just the beginning” of his plans to ensure the continuation of his deportation program.
Meanwhile, Mexico has launched a repatriation program called “Mexico Embraces You” to “welcome its fellow citizens with open arms” as deportations continue from the US.
