US Records Highest Child Deportations Amid Fast-Track Third-Country Policy

Under President Donald Trump's administration in 2025, U.S. immigration policy has seen a significant escalation in deportations, including a record number of deportation orders for children under 11, with over 8,000 issued in April 2024 alone. The administration has also expanded the use of 'third-country' deportations, sending migrants to countries other than their own, often with minimal notice and without guaranteed safety assurances, following a recent Supreme Court ruling. This includes deportations to distant countries such as South Sudan, where the fate of deportees remains unclear and has raised concerns among legal advocates about potential risks of persecution and lack of due process. ICE's new internal guidelines allow deportations within as little as six hours, even without diplomatic assurances that deportees will be safe, prompting criticism from immigration lawyers and human rights groups. The Trump administration is actively seeking agreements with multiple countries, including several in Africa, to accept third-country deportees as part of a broader strategy to deter illegal immigration and expedite removals. These aggressive policies have sparked alarm over the welfare of migrants, especially vulnerable populations like unaccompanied children, and the potential human rights implications of rushed and opaque deportations.