Guyana receives six Cuban and Afghan migrants deported from US under one-year agreement

Arrival of relocated individuals in Georgetown

A group of six foreign nationals arrived in Guyana on Saturday, 5 September 2026, marking the first transfer conducted under a migration cooperation framework with the United States. The initial cohort comprises Cuban and Afghan citizens who were removed from US territory following immigration proceedings. Guyanese government authorities confirmed that all individuals in the group underwent background evaluations before arrival and possess no criminal records. Guyana's Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud announced that the bilateral deal was finalized after months of diplomatic negotiations between Georgetown and Washington. Persaud noted that the United States has not submitted further transfer requests for non-citizen deportees to Guyana at this stage.

The US has not made any further requests

Agreement terms and operational oversight

The migration cooperation framework between Guyana and the United States is set to remain in effect for one year. Guyanese officials stated that the arrangement is strictly temporary and does not establish permanent resettlement for any of the relocated individuals. Under the terms of the agreement, the government in Georgetown maintains full authority to evaluate and reject any proposed individual, limiting reception to a verified number of qualified non-criminals who have chosen to travel voluntarily. Relocated persons will be permitted to stay in the country for a period determined by the Guyanese government, and they retain the formal right to request international protection if eligible.

The United States government is funding the full financial cost of the transfer process, leaving Guyana with no financial liability. Operational implementation is managed through the International Organization for Migration under its Assisted Voluntary Return Programme. The organisation covers the costs of reception, lodging, and integration assistance in Guyana. It is also tasked with ensuring that relocated individuals have access to legal representatives and communication with their family members, working in coordination with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and relevant Guyanese agencies.

The third-country deportation policy

Third-country deportations involve sending foreign nationals to jurisdictions other than their country of birth or nationality. Individuals removed under this mechanism often lack familiarity with the destination country and in some instances face language barriers. The Trump administration has expanded third-country removal deals globally, reaching accords with countries in the Americas and Africa, with certain pacts involving multimillion-dollar payments. United States officials have defended the strategy by asserting that specific countries, such as Cuba, routinely refuse to accept deportation flights originating in the United States.

Rights groups have criticized third-country removals, stating that the practice penalizes migrants and pressures them to abandon pending legal claims in the United States. Non-governmental organizations have also raised concerns regarding living conditions in some destination countries. Data compiled by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University shows that 70.6% of foreign nationals held in US immigration detention have no criminal convictions. According to estimates from Amnesty International, more than 30 countries have concluded deportation agreements with the United States since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2026, including 15 countries located in the Americas region.