Guyana becomes latest "third country" to accept migrants deported from U.S.

September 5, 2026 / 2:35 PM EDT / CBS News

Guyana becomes latest "third country" to accept migrants deported from U.S.

TL;DR

  • Guyana has become the latest "third country" to accept migrants deported from the United States.
  • The country received a group of Afghan and Cuban deportees.
  • Guyana is one of over 30 nations that have signed deals with the U.S. to accept deportees.
  • Under the "Assisted Voluntary Return Program," deportees will await immigration case outcomes in Guyana.
  • The U.N. International Organization for Migration is implementing the program, with Guyana not bearing housing or support costs.
  • Guyana's Foreign Secretary stated six nationals from Cuba and Afghanistan arrived after vetting and no criminal backgrounds were found.
  • The arrangement with the U.S. is for one year and does not constitute permanent resettlement.
  • Other Caribbean nations like St. Kitts and Nevis, and Belize have also received U.S. deportees.
  • Human rights activists have criticized these third-country deportations as inhumane and illegal.
  • The Trump administration defends the deportations as a deterrent to illegal immigration.