US is flying Central Americans to Mexico to deter crossings

By ELLIOT SPAGAT and GISELA SALOMON
Associated Press

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Two U.S. officials say the Biden administration has begun flying some Central American families deep into Mexico as authorities encounter more families and unaccompanied children at the U.S.-Mexico border. The first flight Thursday fell short of its targeted number of passengers because of elevated COVID-19 rates among migrants. The officials are familiar with the policy change and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details weren’t intended to be public. The Homeland Security Department confirms that it began expelling migrants by air to Mexico but didn’t specify if they were Central Americans. This appears to be the first time the government has flown Central Americans to Mexico instead of their home countries.