US immigration authorities have sharply increased third-country deportations under the Trump administration, sending migrants and asylum seekers to countries they have no ties to, according to data analyzed by Al Jazeera. Rights groups Refugees International and Human Rights First estimate more than 25,000 people have been subject to forcible third-country deportations, while DHS data shows more than 16,000 cases between January 2025 and August 2026. Countries including El Salvador, Eswatini, Liberia, and Cameroon have agreed to accept deportees in exchange for US financial aid, visa concessions, or business agreements. The US Supreme Court allowed the practice to continue in a September ruling, despite some lower courts finding it illegal and UN experts warning it causes a "cascade of human rights violations."