WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States has secured agreements with Honduras for the deportation of migrants who are not Honduran citizens, as part of a wider effort by the U.S. government to broaden its deportation capabilities, according to internal government documents obtained by CBS News on Tuesday, August 19, 2025. These documents also indicated a similar agreement with Uganda, though a Ugandan official has since denied such a deal.
Under the agreement with Honduras, the Central American nation has reportedly committed to receiving several hundred deportees over two years, primarily from other Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America. This includes families traveling with children, as reported by CBS News. While the initial number is relatively small, the documents suggest Honduras could agree to accept more deportees in the future.
“Human rights advocates have strongly denounced the Trump administration effort, saying migrants could be deported to countries where they could be harmed or returned to the place they fled,”
Separately, internal documents cited by CBS News on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, indicated that Uganda had agreed to accept deportees from the U.S. who originated from other African countries, provided they do not have criminal histories. However, on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, Okello Oryem, Uganda’s state minister for foreign affairs, told Reuters in a text message, “To the best of my knowledge we have not reached such an agreement. We do not have the facilities and infrastructure to accommodate such illegal immigrants in Uganda. So, we cannot take in such illegal immigrants.” Semafor also reported on Uganda’s denial.
Both reported agreements are based on a “safe third country” provision within U.S. immigration law. This provision allows U.S. officials to reroute asylum-seekers to countries other than their own if the U.S. government determines those nations can fairly hear their claims for humanitarian protection, CBS News explained. The Trump administration has pursued these bilateral deals as a key component of its mass deportation campaign, particularly for migrants who cannot be easily returned to their home countries due to strained diplomatic relations or other reasons.
Human rights advocates have expressed strong opposition to these types of agreements. CBS News noted that these advocates warn migrants could face harm or be returned to the very places they fled if deported to third countries, especially given that some nations entering into such agreements have problematic human rights records.
The U.S. Supreme Court earlier this summer granted the Trump administration the authority to deport migrants to third countries with minimal notice and due process, paving the way for the administration to continue expanding this practice, according to CBS News. The U.S. has reportedly struck similar agreements with a dozen nations across several continents, including Guatemala, Kosovo, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Eswatini.
