Tengrinews.kz - The United States has deported 131 illegal migrants to Uzbekistan, including citizens of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
According to a report by DW’s Telegram channel, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the deportation on Wednesday, April 30.
According to DHS, Tashkent covered all costs related to the deportation of Uzbek citizens.
Fox News reported that the Uzbek government fully paid for the charter flight used to return the migrants.
“The agreement between Washington and Tashkent to deport migrants at Uzbekistan’s expense is the first such deal under the new administration of Donald Trump,” the channel said.
Migrants holding Kazakh and Kyrgyz passports will reportedly continue their journey to their home countries.
American media stated that the deportation flight left the U.S. on Wednesday.
Following Donald Trump’s return to the White House, U.S. immigration policy has tightened significantly. In the first weeks of his new term, programs that previously allowed foreigners to enter the country legally or seek asylum were canceled, affecting thousands of people, including Kazakh citizens.
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Earlier, the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Washington urged citizens who are in the U.S. under a deportation order to take advantage of the opportunity to voluntarily return to their homeland in order to avoid fines and other sanctions.