US Spends Over $40M to Deport Migrants to Third Nations, Report Finds
US Spends Over $40M to Deport Migrants to Third Nations, Report Finds
A Democratic-led review finds millions spent to relocate migrants to countries like El Salvador and Rwanda, sparking calls for tighter oversight.
A new congressional review reveals the Trump administration spent at least $40 million to deport roughly 300 migrants to third countries last year as part of a broader effort to move people out of the United States quickly. With $40 million for around 300 people, the cost works out to about $133,333 per deportation. The report frames the policy as a tool to curb illegal immigration, but also flags concerns that the program is costly, wasteful, and poorly monitored.
The review notes that the State Department arranged lump-sum payments to five countries—Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini, and Palau—ranging from about $4.7 million to $7.5 million. El Salvador has received about 250 Venezuelan nationals in March last year, while the other nations saw far smaller numbers, with 29 deported to Equatorial Guinea and none yet to Palau. There are 47 third-country agreements at various stages of negotiation, with 15 concluded so far. The report marks the first congressional examination of these agreements and highlights the scale of the program and ongoing questions about oversight and transparency.
Officials defend the practice as part of a broader effort to end illegal immigration, arguing that such deals are necessary to enforce immigration policy. Critics, however, describe the approach as costly, wasteful, and under-monitored, calling for serious scrutiny of a policy that operates largely in the dark. The human impact behind the numbers remains a central concern for advocates and lawmakers alike, who say budget figures should be matched with clear accountability and measurable outcomes.
Overall, the report underscores the ongoing debate over third-country deportations, urging greater transparency and a thorough evaluation of whether the program delivers security benefits commensurate with its price tag. The findings place the spotlight on how future administrations might adjust or replace this policy in pursuit of both efficiency and humane migration practices.
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