US has deported thousands to danger in Mexico, Human Rights Watch says
AP News • • nation
Key Points:
- The Trump administration has deported nearly 13,000 Cubans, Venezuelans, and other nationals to Mexico, where they face cartel violence and lack access to basic services, according to a Human Rights Watch report.
- Many deportees are older individuals who have lived in the U.S. for decades, making it harder for them to find work and increasing their need for medical care.
- Most Cuban deportees had green cards but lost them, and many had criminal records, though only a minority were for violent crimes; none were given a chance to contest deportation before a judge.
- Upon arrival in southern Mexican cities, deportees encounter limited job opportunities, scarce medical care, and cartel threats, with complicated processes to obtain refugee status in Mexico.
- Human Rights Watch urges the U.S. and Mexico to make their deportation agreement public, respect due process and international law, and calls on Mexico to provide medical care and legal pathways for deportees unable to return home.