People can go to third countries if other countries aren't receiving them. That's been negotiated by the State Department. If their home country isn't taking them, it's because they're gang members.

While the U.S. Government has negotiated third-country deportations for individuals whose home countries refuse to accept them, the blanket claim that refusal is solely because they are gang members is inaccurate and oversimplified.

At a glance

Key Evidence

Verified July 13, 2025

The U.S. Has increased deportations to third countries when home countries refuse to accept individuals.opb.org
The State Department plays a role in negotiating these arrangements.
However, refusal by home countries is not exclusively due to gang membership; other factors such as political issues and human rights concerns also play significant roles.opb.org

The reporting

What the Evidence Shows

The claim can be broken down into three parts: 1) People can be sent to third countries if other countries won't receive them; 2) This arrangement has been negotiated by the U.S. State Department; 3) If their home country refuses to take them back, it is because they are gang members.

Regarding the first part, there is evidence that the U.S. Government has increasingly deported individuals to third countries where they are not originally from, especially when their home countries refuse to accept them.opb.org This practice has been subject to legal challenges and public scrutiny but is currently allowed under certain conditions.

The second part about negotiation by the State Department aligns with standard diplomatic practices. The State Department typically negotiates agreements or understands with foreign governments regarding deportations and repatriations. However, specific details of these negotiations are often not fully public.

The third part, that refusal by home countries to accept deportees is because they are gang members, is an overgeneralization. While some individuals may be denied return due to criminal affiliations or security concerns, refusal can also stem from political reasons, lack of documentation, bureaucratic delays, or human rights concerns.opb.org Legal experts and advocacy groups have raised concerns that some deportees sent to third countries face persecution or danger unrelated to gang membership. Therefore, attributing all refusals solely to gang membership is misleading.

In summary, the claim mixes factual elements about third-country deportations and State Department involvement with an inaccurate and overly simplistic explanation for why home countries refuse deportees. The nuance around reasons for refusal and the complexity of international deportation agreements is missing.

Primary trail