First flights of illegal immigrants arrive in Guatemala

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
25 Jan 2025 12:14
1 Shares

The first immigrant deportation flights under the Trump administration arrived in Guatemala, with over 80 illegal immigrants receiving state assistance.

Listen

Official photos of C-17 “removal flights” of immigrants held by CPB. (The US Department of Defense)

Two US Air Force planes have transported the first group of deported illegal immigrants to Guatemala since Donald Trump assumed the US presidency. Upon arrival at the repatriation reception center at the airbase, they reportedly received initial state assistance, the Guatemalan Institute of Migration stated.

"Eighty Guatemalans have returned: 31 women, 48 men, and one unaccompanied minor. These individuals were registered and received basic services such as food, clothing, hygiene kits, and, in some cases, psycho-social support and access to phone calls," the migration service reported.

Local media added that a second plane, carrying around 80 people, landed at Guatemala's airport after the initial military flight. Before returning to their homes, the immigrants were transported from the airbase's reception center to the migrant assistance center in the capital.

NBC, citing sources, previously reported that three flights were scheduled to depart the US on Friday, but one bound for Mexico was unable to take off after being denied permission to land for unclear reasons.

US President Trump has consistently stated that his administration would take immediate action to combat illegal immigration upon his inauguration. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Friday that US authorities arrested 538 illegal immigrants and deported hundreds of "illegal immigrant criminals" in what many experts are criticizing as a brutal crackdown on immigrants.

Newark mayor slams warrantless immigration raid as 'terrorizing'

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka condemned a warrantless immigration raid in the city that resulted in the detention of both "undocumented residents and citizens," The Guardian reported on Friday.

Baraka stated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had conducted a raid at a local business. "Newark will not stand by idly while people are being unlawfully terrorized," he said in a statement.

The announcement comes as major cities across the United States prepare for ICE raids, following warnings from Donald Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, who emphasized the federal government’s commitment to Trump’s promise of "mass deportations" with sanctuary cities—jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement— being key targets.

In a Thursday update, ICE reported a total of 538 arrests.

Hundreds of illegal migrants were arrested and deported in a massive operation that came just three days after the new administration was sworn in.

"The Trump Administration arrested 538 illegal immigrant criminals including a suspected terrorist, four members of the Tren de Aragua gang, and several illegals convicted of sex crimes against minors," Leavitt said in an online post on Thursday. "Trump Administration also deported hundreds of illegal immigrant criminals via military aircraft. The largest massive deportation operation in history is well underway. Promises made. Promises kept," she added.

The numbers are not particularly unusual—under President Joe Biden in 2023, the agency averaged over 450 arrests per day. However, ICE’s actions have gained heightened attention during the Trump administration’s intensified immigration crackdown. Since taking office on Monday, Trump has issued a flurry of immigration orders and policy shifts, including new guidance permitting enforcement operations at sensitive locations like schools and churches.

Outrage grows over ICE raids, rights violations

ICE declined to share specifics about the timing and location of its recent raid in New Jersey. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka revealed that those detained included a US military veteran, "who suffered the indignity of having the legitimacy of his military documentation questioned" by officers.

"This egregious act is in plain violation of the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution, which guarantees ‘the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures,’" Baraka stated.

ICE acknowledged that its operations "may encounter US citizens while conducting fieldwork and may request identification to establish an individual’s identity, as was the case during a targeted enforcement operation at a worksite today in Newark."

The raids, which have impacted both citizens and non-citizens, sparked widespread criticism from New Jersey lawmakers. US Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman condemned the actions, calling them a "disgrace".

She added, "This is what we expect from two-bit dictators in banana republics." Another representative, LaMonica McIver, stated, "Already, Trump’s attacks on immigrant communities are hitting home, and we will not back down."

The New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice has urged residents to attend "know your rights" workshops to better understand their legal protections when interacting with immigration enforcement agents.

Advocates and leaders in cities nationwide are also bracing for raids. In Chicago, where over 50,000 migrants—primarily from Venezuela—have arrived in the last two years, Mayor Brandon Johnson said he is collaborating with community groups to educate residents about their rights.