Congresswoman Ramirez, Senator Warren Demand Investigation into Trump Admin’s “Unlawful and Costly System” of Third-Country Deportations

Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Global Migration, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), along with Representative Troy Carter (LA-07), pressed the Inspectors General of the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and State to open an investigation into the Trump administration's attempts to deport people to countries they have no ties to.

The escalation comes after the Departments of State and Homeland Security failed to comply with an investigation into these practices that Congresswoman Ramirez and Senator Warren opened in September 2025. It also follows the February 25, 2026, federal court ruling that declared that a third-country removal system violates the U.S. Constitution and immigration law. Even so, DHS's 2025 guidance on third-country removals - which does not appear to have been updated since the February 2026 court ruling - states that the Department can deport individuals to third countries without any individualized process whatsoever.

"We request that your offices evaluate the Trump Administration's unlawful and costly system of third-country removals," wrote the lawmakers. "Congress and the public deserve answers to better understand the scale of legal violations within this system that was recently ruled unconstitutional."

Since President Trump took office for a second time, his administration has deported hundreds of people, including children, long-time U.S. residents, and individuals with no criminal records, to countries they are not from and that were not designated for their removal, which U.S. immigration law only allows in rare circumstances.

Deportees are being sent to third countries without proper due process, and in some cases without being provided an opportunity to voice concerns that their life or freedom would be in danger in that third country. Some people deported to third countries have reported torture, arbitrary detention, and forced return to their countries of origin, where courts have found they are likely to face persecution and other human rights violations. Many people first learn they are being deported to a third country while on an overseas flight. It has been reported that some DHS attorneys have reportedly threatened asylum seekers that they may be deported to third countries in order to pressure them to abandon their asylum claims and accept deportation to their home countries.

"Such reports cast serious doubt on DoS's process, if one exists, of verifying the reliability of countries' assertions that they will not torture or persecute deportees, or transport them onward to other countries where they're likely to face torture or persecution," added the lawmakers.

"Meanwhile, the Administration is continuing to execute third-country deportations. As of early March, ICE had over 500 people in its custody slated for third-country deportations, and DHS signaled that it had its sights on deporting over 8,000 people to third countries."

To persuade countries to accept deportees, the Trump Administration has used a combination of threats and payments, including paying $32 million to El Salvador, Rwanda, Eswatini, Equatorial Guinea, and Palau.

The lawmakers asked that the Inspector General's investigation include the administration's failure to follow due process, negotiations with foreign governments, evaluating the risk of torture and persecution, and the cost of third-country deportations.

Representatives Donald Beyer (VA-08), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Dwight Evans (PA-03), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jesús García (IL-04), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), and Adam Smith (WA-09) signed on to this letter.

Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jackie Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) signed on to this letter.

For the full letter, CLICK HERE.