The number of Brazilian immigrants removed from the United States increased after an agreement signed in 2018 between the presidents of both countries at the time—Michel Temer and Donald Trump (during his first term). The agreement allows repatriation flights with undocumented immigrants who could no longer appeal to U.S. courts.
According to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 11,300 Brazilians were removed from U.S. territory between 2018 and 2022—65% more than the 6,800 recorded in the previous five years (2013–2017).
The repatriation of Brazilians occurred at the same time that there was a decline in the removal of foreign immigrants in general (i.e., from all nationalities). From 2013 to 2017, the U.S. removed 1.8 million people from the country, a figure that fell to 1.1 million between 2018 and 2022, a reduction of 38%.
These numbers include only immigrants who were deported from the U.S. through a removal order, which is why the process is called “removal.” Another type of deportation, called “return,” whose data is not provided in this report, includes foreigners who are prevented from entering the country at border points or who choose to leave the U.S. voluntarily.Flights
The Federal Police reported that from 2020 to 2024, Brazil received 94 repatriation flights, bringing back 7,637 Brazilians. “These numbers refer only to flights chartered by ICE [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement], used to deport detainees in detention centers [at the border with Mexico],” said the Federal Police in a statement.
Source: GOV.BR