United States has deported a record number of Guatemalans in 2024, with 61,680 people being returned to their home country, the Guatemalan Migration Institute said. The figure exceeded the previous high of 55,302 deportations in 2023 and marked an upward trend in repatriations. The last deportation flights of the year landed Friday in Guatemala City, where four planes touched down at an air force base. The deportees include approximately 100 people, according to AFP journalists, most of whom are women accompanied by their young children.
The deportations come ahead of former President Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025. The former president has vowed to implement more stringent immigration policies, including large-scale deportations. This move may mark an escalation in deportations under his administration, following the hardline stance he adopted on immigration.
Guatemala’s government believes that 2.7 million Guatemalans reside in the United States, but only 400,000 have legal documentation to remain and work. The others are in the US without proper authorization; most of them flee violence and poverty in their home country.
In 2024, a total of 508 flights carried Guatemalan deportees back from the US, surpassing last year’s figures by a significant margin. This comes as thousands of Guatemalans continue to attempt irregular entry into the US each year, seeking refuge from widespread crime and economic hardships in Guatemala.
Remittances emanating from US-based Guatemalans constitute a critical component of the country’s economy as $21 billion was sent back in 2024 and represents 19% of the nation’s GDP. They have now become the most significant source of support for many families, especially in rural areas.
The dramatic increase in deportations reveals challenges between US and Guatemalan relations, with a fiscal toll on Guatemala as returning residents often have difficult integration when returning to their countries.