A series of investigations into US immigration policy has shed light on the practice of deporting migrants to 'third countries'—nations that are not the individuals' countries of origin. According to reports from France 24 and The Guardian, the Trump administration has utilized secret agreements to facilitate the removal of roughly 5,000 people to locations where they have no established roots or family connections.

France 24 focuses on the experiences of migrants currently residing in temporary shelters in Yaoundé, Cameroon. These individuals report that their lives have been disrupted by abrupt removals from the United States, leaving them in a state of limbo. The outlet characterizes the situation as a psychological struggle, with migrants describing a process they feel is designed to make them 'crack' under the pressure of uncertainty.

The Guardian frames these deportations as a 'deportation machine,' arguing that the policy is intended to project strength and deter future migration. While both outlets agree on the scale of the deportations and the lack of ties these migrants have to the host countries, they differ in their characterization of the policy's intent. The Guardian explicitly labels the policy as 'cruel' and 'sinister,' suggesting it is a calculated effort to stoke fear. France 24 maintains a more observational tone, focusing on the humanitarian consequences for the individuals involved rather than explicitly labeling the administration's motivations as malicious. Both sources confirm that these removals involve individuals who had hoped to build new lives in the United States before being redirected to unfamiliar territories in Africa and Latin America.