Belize Agrees to Host Deported Migrants from US Temporarily

The United States and Belize announced on Monday that they have signed an agreement allowing the Central American nation to temporarily host migrants deported from the US while their asylum applications are being processed.

According to a statement posted by the Government of Belize on Facebook, the deal designates Belize as a “safe third country,” permitting US authorities to send asylum seekers there until final decisions are made on their cases.

The text of the agreement has not yet been published and still requires approval from Belize’s Senate before it can take effect.

In Washington, the US State Department described the agreement as “an important step toward curbing illegal migration, preventing abuse of the asylum system, and strengthening our shared commitment to addressing regional challenges together.”

The two-year agreement was signed by Belize’s Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca and the US Chargé d’Affaires in Belmopan, Katherine Beamer.

Since returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump has renewed efforts to deport undocumented migrants and negotiated several controversial deals with third countries, including El Salvador, Uganda, South Sudan, and Rwanda.

So far, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Honduras have already hosted asylum seekers deported by the United States.