The Mexican government has denied a request from the United States to allow a U.S. military aircraft deporting migrants to land in Mexico, according to officials from both countries.
This decision comes as the U.S. carried out two similar deportation flights to Guatemala on Friday, each transporting around 80 migrants. However, plans for a C-17 transport aircraft to land in Mexico were blocked after Mexican authorities refused permission. The denial, first reported by NBC News, was confirmed by a U.S. official and a Mexican official.
Mexico Stresses Cooperation, but Limits Remain
In a statement issued late Friday, Mexico's foreign ministry reaffirmed its commitment to strong bilateral relations with the U.S., highlighting cooperation on immigration issues.
"When it comes to repatriations, we will always accept the arrival of Mexicans to our territory with open arms," the ministry stated. However, no specific reason was given for the denial of landing rights, and the ministry did not directly address the incident.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has made it clear that her government has not agreed to any expansion of the controversial "Remain in Mexico" program. This U.S. policy requires non-Mexican asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases are adjudicated in American courts.
Tensions Amid U.S. National Emergency Declaration
The denial of permission comes as U.S.-Mexico relations face renewed scrutiny following President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency along the shared border earlier this week. Since beginning his second term on Monday, Trump has ordered the deployment of an additional 1,500 U.S. troops to the border, with officials suggesting thousands more could follow.
Trump has also escalated rhetoric and actions, including declaring Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, threatening a 25% tariff on Mexican goods, and controversially renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America."
President Sheinbaum, while expressing openness to receiving Mexican nationals returning home, has voiced opposition to mass deportations and emphasized the economic contributions of Mexican immigrants to the United States.
Pentagon’s Role in Deportation Efforts
The use of U.S. military aircraft for migrant deportations is part of the Pentagon's response to Trump’s national emergency declaration. While U.S. military aircraft have previously been used in evacuation efforts, such as the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, this marks a rare instance of their use for deportation.
The Pentagon has announced plans to deport over 5,000 migrants held by U.S. authorities in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California, with Guatemala receiving its third flight of deported migrants on Friday.
The situation underscores the complexities of U.S.-Mexico relations and the challenges surrounding immigration policy under heightened political and social pressures.
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