In a detailed report released on Wednesday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused The Trump administration deported nearly 13,000 third-country nationals between January 2025 and March 2026 without due process or access to basic services.
The report details the experiences of 53 deportees, most of whom fled political oppression in Cuba and came to the USA many years ago. Since then, they have started businesses, bought houses and settled in with families. Before deportation, many of the Cuban nationals were held in the U.S. immigration detention system for several months and reported “overcrowding, poor access to medical care, extreme temperatures, inadequate quality and quantity of food, and lack of access to information.”
According to Alcira Silva Hava, a research fellow in the refugee and migrant rights department at HRW, the US deported them to Mexico because it cannot return them to their countries of origin. They were also reportedly removed without papers, money or other possessions. None of the respondents were allowed to appeal their deportation, a violation of the due process rights provided for in both cases US law And International lawsays the report.
These deportees now face Mexico’s difficult, slow and under-resourced situation Asylum systemthe report said. Another obstacle is that asylum seekers must demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution in their home countries, which can be a challenge for many of these deportees who have lived in the United States for decades. HRW describes the lack of an alternative system as leaving Cubans in a “permanent and deeply damaging state of legal limbo.” Because Mexico does not grant them legal status, they are stuck in the country, “without shelter, without medicine and at the mercy of criminal organizations,” said Silva Hava. HRW found that most deportees are over 60 and have chronic health problems that require medical treatment.
HRW called the US government to comply Immigration and Nationality Actwhich requires that everyone be given the opportunity to challenge their situation. In addition, transfer agreements should be transparent and guarantee full, fair and durable asylum procedures. HRW also recommends considering age, physical and mental health, disability, and the presence of family members in the U.S. before enforcing deportation orders.
These findings come amid ongoing investigations into ICE detentions, deportations and deaths across the United States. In January, the UN human rights chief also called on the US to ensure its immigration practices comply with international law. However, the Trump administration has reached transfer agreements with more than 30 governments, deporting about 17,400 people as of May.
