Updated 10:15 IST, January 26th 2025
Setback for Trump's Immigration Crackdown as Mexico Blocks Deportation Flight
The blocked flight followed the successful departure of two US Air Force C-17 planes earlier in the day, which transported about 160 deportees to Guatemala.

Washington: In a significant setback for President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, Mexico refused to allow a deportation flight from the United States to land on Thursday, blocking the return of migrants to the country, the New York Post reported.
The move comes amid Trump’s intensified immigration enforcement efforts, raising questions about the future of US-Mexico cooperation.
The blocked flight followed the successful departure of two US Air Force C-17 planes earlier in the day, which transported about 160 deportees to Guatemala. However, Mexico’s refusal to accept the flight marked an unexpected hurdle, leaving officials scrambling for an explanation.
The White House further attributed the issue to an administrative error, with one official clarifying, "the flights thing was an administrative issue and was quickly rectified."
Despite this hiccup, Mexico has largely cooperated with US deportation efforts. On the same day as the blocked flight, Mexico reportedly accepted a record four deportation flights. Additionally, the country has taken steps to combat migration, including deploying 30,000 National Guard troops and reinstating the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which forces asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their claims are processed in the US
Tensions between Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum have been mounting recently after the US President threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on Mexican imports in response to ongoing migration issues at the US-Mexico border.
However, despite these threats, Mexico has worked alongside US authorities, accepting large numbers of deportations.
On Thursday, about 2,000 migrants were deported from the US, and another 5,000 were detained within Mexico’s borders.
Meanwhile, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported 593 arrests and issued 449 detainers by Friday evening.
Trump’s administration has been pursuing aggressive immigration measures, including a national emergency declaration at the southern border. This led to mass deportations, expanded ICE operations in sanctuary cities, and the deployment of some 1,500 active-duty troops to assist Border Patrol operations and build border barriers.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt praised Mexico’s overall cooperation, saying, "Thanks to President Trump, yesterday Mexico accepted a record four deportation flights in one day! This comes in addition to unrestricted returns at the land border, the deportation of non-Mexicans, and the reinstatement of Remain-in-Mexico. Mexico has also mobilized 30,000 National Guard troops."
Despite the temporary disruption, both nations appear committed to continuing their collaboration on immigration enforcement.
(Inputs from ANI)
Published 10:15 IST, January 26th 2025