Guatemala may accept more deported aliens It was reportedly expelled from the United States by the incoming Trump administration to strengthen ties with the United States.

Officials who spoke to Reuters said Guatemala was willing to take in deported citizens from other Central American countries such as Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti, which have tense relations with the United States and have never accepted deportees in the past.

“There has to be a regional response,” a Guatemalan official told Reuters. “We want to be part of the solution.”

There are expectations that Trump will fulfill his campaign promise to begin the largest mass deportation of illegal immigrants in U.S. history, and Guatemala hopes to have the president’s favor throughout the process. Officials are bracing for an increase in deportations in the fall, citing the Trump administration’s need for time to ramp up operations, Reuters reported.

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Guatemalan immigrants pose for a photo after arriving at La Aurora Air Force Base on a deportation flight from the United States on November 8, 2024 in Guatemala City, Guatemala. (Reuters/Josue Decavele/File photo)

“We are not ready yet, but we know it is coming,” another Guatemalan government official told the media.

Under President Joe Biden’s administration, Guatemala is currently receiving 14 deportation flights per week.

The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

The Trump team has reportedly reached out to other Central and South American countries to gauge their willingness to accept U.S. deportations. Several governments, including Mexico and the Bahamas, have said they do not want to accept foreigners from third countries.

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A migrant woman talks to her family as she is processed by staff at the Guatemala Institute of Migration after arriving on a deportation flight from the United States and Mexico on January 23, 2024 in Guatemala City. (Reuters/Christina Chiquin/File Photo)

By 2022, more than 40% illegal immigration According to a report by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, there are 11 million people living in the United States, 4.8 million of whom are from Mexico. This is followed by Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, which together account for more than a fifth of the total.

According to Reuters, relative to its neighbors El Salvador and Honduras, Guatemala has been proactive in courting the incoming Trump administration. Members of the Trump transition team met with Guatemalan officials ahead of his nomination as secretary of state, including Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, as well as several staffers from the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank who specialize in immigration and border security. , drug trafficking and China policy.

The second official said Guatemala would prioritize the reintegration of Guatemalans, adding that each country was responsible for its citizens but also highlighting a regional agreement between Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and El Salvador that allows for free movement.

The hope is that deportees from the United States will be able to apply the skills they learned in the states to private-sector jobs in Guatemala.

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A police officer stands guard after Guatemalan migrants arrive at La Aurora Air Base on a deportation flight from the United States on November 8, 2024 in Guatemala City, Guatemala. (Reuters/Josue Decavele/File photo)

“These are people who have worked in construction, services, various industries, and many of them speak English. We want to take advantage of that,” the official said.

Officials who spoke to Reuters also noted that more deportations could put pressure on Guatemala’s economy.

Remittance, or Money sent home by Guatemalan workers In the United States, it accounts for about 20% of the country’s GDP.

In 2023, remittances accounted for 24% of El Salvador’s GDP and nearly 30% of Honduras’ GDP.

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Officials told Reuters they were not immediately concerned about the economic impact of lower remittances but expressed concerns about Trump’s proposed tariff hikes or tax increases on remittances.

“We don’t have a financial plan yet, there are too many unknowns,” the second official said.