Senate Democrats say Trump's migrant deportation deals cost US taxpayers over $32 million

Democrats on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee stated that agreements by President Donald Trump to deport migrants to third countries have imposed more than $32 million in costs on American taxpayers.

According to a Reuters report cited by the committee Democrats, the funds were paid to Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, El Salvador, Eswatini, and Palau to accept migrants who are not citizens of those countries. By the end of January 2026, around 300 migrants had been transferred to these nations, with 250 of them Venezuelans sent to El Salvador.

The report noted that most of these individuals have been or are set to be returned to their home countries. Democrats highlighted that in some cases, the cost per migrant exceeded $1 million. For instance, one Jamaican citizen was transferred to Eswatini at a cost of more than $181,000, only to be sent back to Jamaica a few weeks later at additional U.S. government expense.

The committee Democrats emphasized that the total cost of these deportations remains unclear, with no evidence provided of oversight by the U.S. State Department on how the funds were used. They expressed particular concern regarding collaborations with countries that have histories of corruption and human rights violations.

The Trump administration has described mass deportations as a key campaign promise, arguing that the policy enhances security and improves resource management.