The White House addresses controversy with Mexico, confirms receiving four deportation flights
NBC News initially reported that Claudia Sheinbaum's administration had blocked the flights from landing.
White House clarified the controversy with Mexico on X/ Charly Triballeau, Rodrigo Oropeza.
The White House recently addressed a controversy surrounding U.S. deportation flights and Mexico. The issue began on the afternoon of Friday, January 25, when NBC News reported that Claudia Sheinbaum’s government had allegedly blocked the landing of a deportation flight, disrupting the new president's immigration plans. However, the Trump administration clarified the situation just hours later.
According to the initial NBC News report, a U.S. plane was prevented from departing for Mexico. The flight was halted after other C-17 Air Force planes had transported approximately 160 deportees out of the United States, with many being flown to Guatemala.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later clarified the matter. “Thanks to President Trump: Yesterday, Mexico accepted a record 4 deportation flights in 1 day! This comes in addition to unrestricted returns at the land border, the deportation of non-Mexicans, & reinstatement of Remain-in-Mexico. Mexico has also mobilized 30K National Guard,” she posted on her account on X.
">Thanks to President Trump:
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) January 25, 2025
Yesterday, Mexico accepted a record 4 deportation flights in 1 day!
This comes in addition to unrestricted returns at the land border, the deportation of non-Mexicans, & reinstatement of Remain-in-Mexico. Mexico has also mobilized 30K National Guard. https://t.co/FNINADyQU7
Tammy Bruce, a State Department spokesperson, also added that 2,000 foreigners were deported to Mexico on January 23. “Promises made, promises kept,” she wrote in X and then called NBC ‘fake news’ for the previous report.
The Trump administration began deporting people on January 24 with flights to Guatemala, and many more are expected in the coming months.
">The fake news is already lying about our successful partnership with Mexico helping to make our region safe again. The truth is, four ICE flights arrived in Mexico yesterday. Two military flights were sent to Guatemala because they were filled with Guatemalans. 2000 aliens were… pic.twitter.com/xpOdCd6TMD
— Tammy Bruce (@StateDeptSpox) January 25, 2025
These flights were initiated shortly after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced 538 arrests and 373 detainer requests in the early days of the Trump administration.
Between January 21 and 22, the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), a division of ICE, arrested individuals charged with or convicted of crimes such as sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and drug-related offenses.
People from various countries were arrested, including Afghanistan, Angola, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Senegal and Venezuela.
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