Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on January 27 that her country has received 4,094 immigrants deported from the United States since January 20.
The majority of those deported were Mexican nationals, although Sheinbaum noted that the figure also includes individuals from other countries.
In a statement, Sheinbaum pointed to Mexico’s longstanding history of handling deportations from the U.S., particularly noting the cooperation between both countries under both the Trump and Biden administrations.
She emphasized the importance of coordination between the two nations in these efforts, stressing that Mexico is committed to respecting the human rights of those being repatriated.
“Mexico has a very important history of repatriation with the United States,” Sheinbaum said. “We ask for respect for human rights.”
She mentioned that four planes carrying deportees had arrived just this past weekend, though she noted that such deportations have occurred in the past without any noticeable increase in frequency.
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Her comments come at a particularly sensitive moment in Latin American diplomacy, as the region braces for potential policy shifts with Trump possibly returning to the presidency in 2025.
Trump has previously campaigned on a platform of mass deportations and a more aggressive “America First” foreign policy.
Sheinbaum has been vocal about her disapproval of “unilateral deportations” from the U.S., especially when it involves non-Mexican migrants.
Last December, she stressed that Mexico’s priority was to accept Mexican nationals and hoped for agreements with the U.S. to ensure migrants from other countries would be sent back to their countries of origin.
Despite her earlier stance, Sheinbaum acknowledged Mexico’s responsibility in accepting non-Mexican deportees.
She referenced the actions of former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who had agreed to accept up to 30,000 migrants monthly from countries like Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Haiti.
