U.S. Secretly Sends Some Mexican Deportees To Guatemala And Honduras
On Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, CBS News reported that the Trump administration routed some Mexican migrants from U.S. custody onto flights leaving them in Guatemala and Honduras, angering Mexico.[1]
Two Department of Homeland Security officials told CBS the practice has been underway for several months.[1] They said the government routes deportation flights so Mexican nationals are left in Guatemala and Honduras instead of being repatriated directly to Mexico.[1] Mexico has formally told U.S. authorities it is willing to accept the return of all its citizens and has publicly expressed anger at the U.S. decision to send some to third countries.[2]
CBS's initial Aug. 18 segment attributed its reporting to two DHS officials.[1] That segment said the officials described routing practices that leave Mexican nationals on flights bound for Guatemala and Honduras.[1]
CBS ran a follow-up segment on Wednesday, Aug. 19 at 7:46 a.m. Central that reiterated the claim and framed Mexico's reaction as "outraged." CBS News The reporting cites Department of Homeland Security sources as the basis for confirming that Mexican nationals are placed on flights to those countries instead of being repatriated directly to Mexico.[1]
Show source details & analysis (3 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On Tuesday, August 18, 2026, a CBS News segment reported that two Department of Homeland Security officials said the Trump administration has been quietly deporting Mexican migrants from U.S. custody to Guatemala and Honduras (Department of Homeland Security officials).
- CBS reported the practice has been underway for several months and involves routing deportation flights so that Mexican nationals are left in Central American countries rather than being repatriated directly to Mexico (deportation flights).
- Mexico has formally told U.S. authorities it is willing to accept the return of all its citizens and has expressed anger over the U.S. decision to send some Mexican nationals to third countries (Mexico).
- A CBS follow-up segment on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 at 7:46 a.m. Central emphasized that the Trump administration has been "quietly" sending Mexican deportees to Honduras and Guatemala despite Mexico's stated willingness to receive them (CBS follow-up segment).
- The reporting cites Department of Homeland Security sources as the basis for confirming that Mexican nationals are being placed on flights to Guatemala and Honduras rather than repatriated directly to Mexico (Department of Homeland Security sources).
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Wednesday, August 19, 2026, CBS aired a follow-up segment at 7:46 a.m. Central emphasizing that the Trump administration has been "quietly" sending Mexican deportees to Honduras and Guatemala despite Mexico's stated willingness to accept them.
- The segment frames Mexico's reaction as "outraged," underscoring that Mexican authorities have explicitly communicated they are prepared to receive all their citizens while the U.S. continues routing some to third countries.
- The report reiterates that Department of Homeland Security sources are the basis for confirming that Mexican nationals are being placed on flights to Guatemala and Honduras rather than repatriated directly to Mexico.
- On Tuesday, August 18, 2026, CBS aired a segment in which two Department of Homeland Security officials said the Trump administration has been quietly deporting Mexican migrants from U.S. custody to Guatemala and Honduras.
- The officials said this practice has been underway for several months and involves routing deportation flights so that Mexican nationals are left in Central American countries rather than returned to Mexico.
- The CBS segment emphasized that Mexico has formally stated it is willing to accept the return of all its citizens and has expressed anger over the U.S. decision to deport them to third countries.