Thousands of Guatemalans Deported from US Face Uncertain Futures

The ongoing deportations of Guatemalans from the United States have left thousands facing uncertain futures upon their return home. In 2025 alone, over 24,000 Guatemalans have been deported, many arriving in Guatemala with little more than the contents of a white plastic sack containing their confiscated belongings.

At the La Aurora Air Force Base in Guatemala City, a local church volunteer leads a group of more than 90 deportees in prayer, reminding them that divine presence exists both in Guatemala and the United States. These individuals previously spent time in a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Alexandria, Louisiana, awaiting deportation. This year, the airbase has received more than 266 deportation flights, according to data provided by Witness at the Border.

The current wave of deportations is part of a larger crackdown on immigration initiated during the administration of former US President Donald Trump. An official at the Guatemalan government’s reception center notes that most deportees now have spent significant periods in the US and many have children who are US citizens.

Among those returning is Pablo Vélez, a 45-year-old electrician. He describes his fear of detention while living in California, where a significant portion of the Guatemalan community has gone into hiding. “A lot of the Guatemalan community in California are staying at home and not even leaving for work right now,” he shares. Vélez, who was detained while applying for asylum, has a tragic backstory; his father was murdered in Guatemala, while his mother and brother were granted asylum in the US. After experiencing deportation in 2008 and returning in 2015 with the help of a smuggler, he now faces the possibility of rebuilding his life in Guatemala, separated from his family.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed by the US Congress in July, allocated a record funding of $45 billion for detention, $14.4 billion for deportation, and $10 billion to expand ICE. This increase in funding is likely to result in an uptick in the number of long-term residents being deported, as noted by the Washington Office on Latin America, a nonprofit advocacy group. They reported that the budget for immigration detention is now over 62 percent larger than that of the entire Federal Bureau of Prisons.

In addition to the financial implications, the human costs are evident. An official at the airbase recounted the arrival of a distressed woman earlier this year, who had been separated from her young daughter during the deportation process. More than 800 Guatemalan minors have been deported this year, with the youngest being only three years old.

Returning deportees often receive a small brown bag containing basic necessities such as food and hygiene products. Marisela Tzul, a 35-year-old woman from Totonicapán, arrived with similar provisions after being detained while working in a garment factory in Los Angeles. She described the moment of her detention: “The owner of the factory saw ICE agents entering and just handed us over.” During her time in detention, Marisela was transferred across multiple states, from California to Louisiana, before being deported. She expressed concern for her family, who remain unaware of her situation since her arrest.

Guatemalan consular officials have noted difficulties in accessing citizens in various US detention facilities, which further complicates the situation for deportees. After processing, most individuals board a large yellow bus, either heading to temporary shelters or Guatemala City’s central bus station to find their way home.

As families gather outside the airbase, emotions run high. Young men, who previously appeared stoic, break down upon reuniting with their parents, who embrace them tightly, tears flowing freely. The stark reality of these deportations continues to unfold, leaving deep emotional scars on those affected.