US State Department on deportations: Balkan countries considered as part of wider U.S. strategy

The State Department declined to comment on claims made by Bloomberg that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to persuade Balkan countries to accept deported migrants, mostly from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, whose temporary legal status in the U.S. has been revoked, RFE writes.

It said the United States does not comment on the details of diplomatic communications with other countries within the strategy of deporting foreign nationals without legal status.

When asked by RFE which countries are being requested to accept migrants deemed undesirable in the U.S., the Embassy did not give a precise answer. It stated that the countries of the region are included in contacts within a broader strategy:

“U.S. partners and regional leaders are working closely with us to end the crisis of illegal and mass migration”.

It reminded that implementing President Donald Trump's immigration policy is one of the State Department's main priorities.

The State Department also emphasized that continued cooperation with foreign governments is crucial for deterring illegal and mass migration, as well as for border security:

“As Secretary Rubio has said, we remain unwaveringly committed to ending illegal and mass migration and strengthening the security of U.S. borders. To that end, every country must urgently accept the return of its citizens who have no legal basis to remain in the United States.”

In some cases, cooperation with other countries might be considered to facilitate the removal of third-country nationals from the U.S. who have no legal grounds to remain, it said.

Previously, the U.S. Embassy in Podgorica gave the same statement to Radio Free Europe.