The Case of the Missing CECOT Contract
Lawmakers say they’re being stonewalled on secretive Trump-era contracts to deport asylum seekers to third countries—despite reports of abuse and human rights violations
WASHINGTON — Members of Congress are demanding answers from the Trump administration about a series of undisclosed agreements with foreign governments to accept deported migrants and asylum seekers—deals that remain shrouded in secrecy despite growing concerns about human rights abuses and lack of oversight.
MIGRANT INSIDER is sponsored by
Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, said she has been repeatedly denied basic information about the scope and funding of the agreements, which reportedly include countries like Panama, El Salvador, and Uganda. “It’s very unclear exactly where the funding is coming from and the transparency of it all,” Ansari said. “Some of these deals, especially the more recent ones, are totally off the books.”
Ansari cited the case of Artemis Usade, an Iranian asylum seeker who was deported to Panama under unclear terms. “We don’t know what the agreement with Panama even says—how they’re being paid, how people are being processed, or even what rights, if any, deportees have once they land,” she said.
Even more alarming are the reports of abuse surfacing from foreign detention sites. “The reports coming out of El Salvador and the people being released from Seacott are disgusting,” Ansari said. “People are being abused, discriminated against, beaten, and tortured. These are facilities we’re funding with taxpayer dollars, and we have no oversight.”
MIGRANT INSIDER is sponsored by
According to Ansari, the administration’s refusal to allow congressional inspections has only deepened the crisis. She recalled being abruptly denied access to the Eloy Detention Center in Arizona. “We were approved, and then the night before our visit, we were told we could not meet with those constituents,” she said. “This administration is not just secretive—it’s authoritarian in nature.”
Republican lawmakers have also struggled to get clear answers. Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he’s heard about the deportation arrangements directly from foreign heads of state but has never seen the agreements himself. “It comes up in conversation—‘Yes, we’re taking XYZ’—but I can’t say I’ve personally read any official documents,” he said. When asked if he’s requested to see them, Mast replied, “I request whatever I want,” but acknowledged he hasn’t in this case.
Rep. Nelli Pou (D-NJ), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said that even formal information requests tend to vanish into a bureaucratic void. “Their information is maintained by the administration, and they’re highly unlikely to provide it unless absolutely forced,” Pou said. “Even then, those requests often go on deaf ears.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, expressed interest in the issue but admitted he had not personally reviewed or asked for the agreements. “It’d be worth knowing what the terms are,” Tillis said, drawing a parallel to public demand for transparency in the Epstein case. “People want to know.”
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), a member of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, offered a cryptic response when asked if her committee had reviewed the agreements: “We can see them okay,” she said, but provided no further detail.
Lawmakers in the Progressive Caucus are preparing legislative efforts to force the administration to release details. “Many of us are extremely concerned,” Ansari said. “We have a constitutional duty to conduct oversight. The American people have a right to know who we’re sending people to, and under what conditions.”
With deportations surging in Trump’s second term and the administration expanding partnerships with authoritarian and unstable regimes, lawmakers warn that the consequences of secrecy could be severe. “This is going to haunt us for decades,” Ansari said. “There’s no accountability, no visibility, and no humanity in what’s being done.”
Liked this story? Help us break the next one. Migrant Insider is one of the only outlets digging deep into the secret machinery behind U.S. immigration policy. Our reporting is independent, relentless, and often uncovers what others won’t touch.