Thousands of asylum-seekers in the United States have abandoned their immigration cases as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) moves to deport them to third countries where they have no ties, according to federal data and attorney interviews reviewed by CBS News.
Willian Yacelga Benalcazar, who fled threats from criminal gangs in Ecuador, was ordered deported not to his native country but to Honduras. After spending five months in ICE detention where he contracted a virus and faced poor conditions, Yacelga gave up his asylum claim and chose to return to Ecuador. “All I wanted was to get out, to be free,” he told CBS News from Ecuador.
Third-country deportations and case terminations
The Trump administration’s policy to deport asylum-seekers to third countries under “asylum cooperative agreements” has stalled thousands of cases and pressured many migrants to abandon their claims. These agreements allow the U.S. to reroute asylum-seekers to countries such as Mexico, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Uganda, forcing these individuals to prove fear of persecution in those nations in addition to their home countries.
Since President Trump’s return to office, approximately 17,500 people have been deported to third countries, mainly Mexico, representing about 2% of total deportations during his second term. However, more than 75,500 asylum cases have received motions to “pretermit,” terminating proceedings without hearings on their claims, mostly after an October 2025 Board of Immigration Appeals ruling.
Of those with pretermit motions filed, roughly 16% abandoned their asylum claims or agreed to voluntary departure by March 31, equating to approximately 12,300 individuals. Attorneys emphasize that many third countries lack functional asylum systems and remain dangerous, which contributes to asylum-seekers preferring to return to their home countries despite risks.
Legal and logistical challenges
Over 24,000 people received removal orders to third countries, but limited acceptance capacity complicates deportations. For instance, Honduras agreed to take only 10 non-Honduran deportees monthly, yet more than 6,300 non-Hondurans were ordered deported there by March’s end. As of late April, about 60 had been deported to Honduras.
This discrepancy results in thousands with removal orders that cannot be executed, according to immigration attorneys. A mid-March directive halted filing new pretermit motions, but existing cases continue. A federal lawsuit currently challenges the government’s use of these third-country agreements, arguing they violate due process and rely on countries with insufficient asylum protections.
Impact on detainees and appeals
Approximately 1,800 asylum-seekers with third-country removal orders remain in detention, facing prolonged uncertainty. Appeals on these orders suspend deportations, but the Board of Immigration Appeals ruled on fewer than 1% of cases by March, with an average processing time of two years. For detainees, the average appeal turnaround was about 10 months last year.
Yacelga experienced repeated transfers between detention centers across the U.S., lengthy isolation from family and attorneys, and denied bond requests before giving up his case. Attorneys describe this as psychological pressure designed to prompt abandonment of asylum claims.
Why it matters
The use of third-country deportation agreements represents a significant shift in U.S. immigration enforcement, raising concerns about the fairness and effectiveness of asylum procedures. The policy creates legal limbo for thousands of asylum-seekers and challenges the integrity of the U.S. asylum system by forcing individuals to seek refuge outside American soil in countries that may lack adequate protections.
Background
The Board of Immigration Appeals’ October 2025 ruling mandated immigration judges prioritize deciding third-country removal motions before hearing asylum claims, increasing pretermissions. These policies build on Trump administration efforts emphasizing deportation of unauthorized migrants, particularly those with criminal records or pending asylum applications. As a result, cases have sharply increased without resolution, straining immigration courts and detention facilities.
Sources
This article is based on reporting and publicly available information from the following source:
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