Deportation by Country
Which countries does the United States deport people to most? The answer is overwhelmingly Latin American — the top four countries (Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador) account for over 72% of all removal orders.
Below are the top 20 deportation destination countries based on DOJ EOIR removal order data. These figures include formal removal orders issued by immigration judges — not all physical deportations, which are carried out by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
📊 Analysis: The Geography of Deportation
U.S. deportation policy is functionally a Western Hemisphere policy. The concentration of removals to a handful of nearby countries reflects both geography and the structure of immigration enforcement. People who cross the southern border are easier to apprehend and remove than visa overstays from distant countries.
This creates a paradox: nationals of countries like China and India — which have significant unauthorized populations through visa overstays — face far fewer removal orders per capita than Central Americans who are apprehended at the border. The system effectively punishes proximity more than violation.
From a libertarian perspective, the per-country concentration of deportation raises questions about equal application of the law. If immigration enforcement disproportionately targets border crossers over overstays, it's not enforcing immigration law uniformly — it's enforcing geography.
Top 20 Countries by Removal Orders
| # | Country | Total Removals | % of Total | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇲🇽Mexico | 890,000 | 38.2% | ↓ Decreasing |
| 2 | 🇬🇹Guatemala | 285,000 | 12.2% | ↑ Increasing |
| 3 | 🇭🇳Honduras | 265,000 | 11.4% | ↑ Increasing |
| 4 | 🇸🇻El Salvador | 245,000 | 10.5% | → Stable |
| 5 | 🇭🇹Haiti | 85,000 | 3.6% | ↑ Increasing |
| 6 | 🇳🇮Nicaragua | 72,000 | 3.1% | ↑ Increasing |
| 7 | 🇨🇺Cuba | 68,000 | 2.9% | ↑ Increasing |
| 8 | 🇨🇴Colombia | 52,000 | 2.2% | ↑ Increasing |
| 9 | 🇪🇨Ecuador | 48,000 | 2.1% | ↑ Increasing |
| 10 | 🇻🇪Venezuela | 45,000 | 1.9% | ↑ Increasing |
| 11 | 🇩🇴Dominican Republic | 32,000 | 1.4% | → Stable |
| 12 | 🇧🇷Brazil | 28,000 | 1.2% | ↑ Increasing |
| 13 | 🇮🇳India | 28,000 | 1.2% | ↑ Increasing |
| 14 | 🇨🇳China | 42,000 | 1.8% | → Stable |
| 15 | 🇵🇪Peru | 22,000 | 0.9% | ↑ Increasing |
| 16 | 🇯🇲Jamaica | 18,000 | 0.8% | → Stable |
| 17 | 🇷🇴Romania | 8,200 | 0.4% | → Stable |
| 18 | 🇵🇭Philippines | 12,000 | 0.5% | ↓ Decreasing |
| 19 | 🇺🇦Ukraine | 4,200 | 0.2% | ↓ Decreasing |
| 20 | 🇰🇷South Korea | 8,500 | 0.4% | → Stable |
Removal Orders by Year (FY 2020–2024)
Fiscal year breakdown for each country shows how deportation patterns shifted through COVID-19 disruptions, the Biden-era border surge, and evolving enforcement priorities.
| Country | FY 2020 | FY 2021 | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | Relative Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | 68,200 | 72,400 | 95,600 | 102,400 | 98,200 | 890,000 |
| 🇬🇹 Guatemala | 18,400 | 22,800 | 32,100 | 38,200 | 35,600 | 285,000 |
| 🇭🇳 Honduras | 16,800 | 21,200 | 28,400 | 35,800 | 32,400 | 265,000 |
| 🇸🇻 El Salvador | 14,200 | 18,600 | 24,800 | 28,400 | 26,200 | 245,000 |
| 🇭🇹 Haiti | 4,200 | 8,800 | 12,400 | 14,200 | 10,800 | 85,000 |
| 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | 3,800 | 5,200 | 8,400 | 12,800 | 11,200 | 72,000 |
| 🇨🇺 Cuba | 2,400 | 3,800 | 8,200 | 12,400 | 9,800 | 68,000 |
| 🇨🇴 Colombia | 3,200 | 4,100 | 5,800 | 7,200 | 6,400 | 52,000 |
| 🇪🇨 Ecuador | 2,800 | 3,600 | 5,200 | 8,400 | 7,200 | 48,000 |
| 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 800 | 1,200 | 4,800 | 12,200 | 8,400 | 45,000 |
Country-by-Country Notes
🇲🇽 Mexico
↓ DecreasingLargest single deportation destination; bilateral repatriation agreements in place.
🇬🇹 Guatemala
↑ IncreasingSecond-largest deportation destination; many asylum seekers in pipeline.
🇭🇳 Honduras
↑ IncreasingNorthern Triangle; frequent ICE Air Operations flights.
🇸🇻 El Salvador
→ StableDeclining asylum claims under Bukele; historically high TPS population.
🇭🇹 Haiti
↑ IncreasingControversial deportations during TPS periods; Del Rio crisis in 2021.
🇳🇮 Nicaragua
↑ IncreasingIncreasing deportations as Ortega regime refuses some returnees.
🇨🇺 Cuba
↑ IncreasingDiplomatic complications limit deportations; Cuban Adjustment Act factor.
🇨🇴 Colombia
↑ IncreasingGrowing deportations as Colombian migration increases.
🇪🇨 Ecuador
↑ IncreasingSurging migration from Ecuador since 2022 security crisis.
🇻🇪 Venezuela
↑ IncreasingDeportation historically blocked by Maduro regime; third-country removals used.
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
→ StableCooperative repatriation agreements with DR government.
🇧🇷 Brazil
↑ IncreasingGrowing Brazilian migration through southern border driving increase.
🇮🇳 India
↑ IncreasingMany overstays; India initially reluctant on deportation flights.
🇨🇳 China
→ StableChina historically uncooperative on accepting deportees; diplomatic issue.
🇵🇪 Peru
↑ IncreasingIncreasing deportations tracking rising Peruvian migration.
🇯🇲 Jamaica
→ StableMany criminal deportations; cooperative government relationship.
🇷🇴 Romania
→ StablePrimarily overstay cases.
🇵🇭 Philippines
↓ DecreasingMostly criminal deportation cases.
🇺🇦 Ukraine
↓ DecreasingDeportations largely paused after 2022 Russian invasion.
🇰🇷 South Korea
→ StablePrimarily overstay and criminal cases.
Recalcitrant Countries: When Nations Refuse Deportees
Not every country cooperates with U.S. deportation. ICE maintains a list of “recalcitrant” countries that refuse or delay accepting their nationals back. This creates a legal limbo — the U.S. has ordered removal, but can't physically deport the person.
Historically Uncooperative
- 🇨🇳 China — Limited cooperation on deportation flights
- 🇨🇺 Cuba — Diplomatic barriers complicate returns
- 🇻🇪 Venezuela — Maduro regime blocked deportations
- 🇪🇷 Eritrea — Refuses most deportees
Partially Cooperative
- 🇮🇳 India — Improved cooperation after 2020
- 🇵🇰 Pakistan — Slow processing
- 🇧🇩 Bangladesh — Limited flights
- 🇲🇲 Myanmar — Political instability
Fully Cooperative
- 🇲🇽 Mexico — Regular repatriation flights
- 🇬🇹 Guatemala — Bilateral agreements
- 🇭🇳 Honduras — ICE Air Operations
- 🇸🇻 El Salvador — Cooperative since 2019
Methodology & Data Sources
Source: Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) case data, supplemented by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations reports and CBP encounter data.
Removal orders are judicial orders issued by immigration judges directing removal from the United States. They are not identical to physical deportations — some individuals with removal orders remain in the U.S. for years, while others depart voluntarily or are physically removed by ICE.
Voluntary departure allows individuals to leave at their own expense by a certain date, avoiding the formal consequences of a removal order (which include a multi-year bar on reentry).
In absentia orders are removal orders issued when the respondent fails to appear in court. These orders are automatically final and can be executed immediately.
Related Data
Deportation Statistics
Overall removal trends, orders, and enforcement data.
Cases by Nationality
Immigration court cases broken down by country of origin.
Immigration by President
How deportation numbers compare across administrations.
Border Encounters
CBP apprehension and encounter statistics.
Detention Centers
Where deportees are held before removal.
Visa Types Guide
Legal pathways that could prevent deportation.