Government officials in Guatemala said they are open to having “constructive and respectful dialogue” with President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration. Trump has vowed mass deportations of undocumented immigrants in his second term and plans to begin the process quickly after his inauguration.
Officials said Guatemala is open to receiving migrants who may be from other Central American countries deported from the United States, according to Reuters.
So far, no such agreement between the two countries has been made.
The U.S. has faced difficulties in deporting citizens from countries like Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti due to tense diplomatic relations.
The Bahamas and Mexico have also said they do not want to receive deportees from third-party countries.
“There has to be a regional response and we want to be part of the solution,” a Guatemalan official told Reuters anonymously.
In a statement released Thursday, Dec. 26, government officials from Guatemala said they are in ongoing talks with Trump’s transition team but has yet to meet with officials about his plan to deport record numbers of undocumented immigrants.
In late November 2024, Guatemala’s security minister and migration director visited Washington, D.C. The delegation met with Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Trump’s pick for secretary of state, and other top Republicans to discuss drug trafficking, migration and deportations, according to Reuters. The visit signaled Guatemala’s interest in maintaining strong ties with the U.S.
