<p class="title">Mexicans seeking asylum in the United States could be deported to Guatemala, part of a controversial migration deal between the Central American nation and Washington, the US Department of Homeland Security told AFP Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The agreement designated Guatemala a "safe third country" -- allowing US authorities to deport some El Salvadoran and Honduran asylum seekers there -- and was condemned by international human rights groups.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Certain Mexicans seeking humanitarian protections in the United States may now be eligible to be transferred to Guatemala and given the opportunity to seek protection there," a spokesperson for Homeland Security said in a statement.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Mexican foreign ministry said it "disagreed" with the measure that could affect roughly 900 of its citizens from February.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In a statement, the ministry said it would closely monitor "human rights set out in the international agreements signed and ratified" by both countries.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Washington's move is the latest tightening of immigration regulations under President Donald Trump, who has pursued a broader crackdown on undocumented migrants.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Under the agreement with Guatemala, migrants who want to seek asylum in the US but travel through Guatemala must first request protection in the Central American country.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Many international observers say the country -- with 60 per cent poverty -- is in no shape to welcome refugees but simply signed the agreement under intense US pressure.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Washington has reached a similar deal with El Salvador.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In October, the US said border agents at the southern frontier with Mexico had arrested or stopped nearly one million undocumented migrants over the previous 12 months.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The increase was attributed to groups or families of Central American migrants fleeing poverty and violence to seek asylum on US soil.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Most migrants who reached the border are processed by immigration officials and then released to await a hearing on their claim -- but they usually disappeared into the US, hoping to settle.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In a bid to stop the new arrivals, the US has asked Mexico to slow migrants' travel, and ordered the expulsion of asylum seekers back to Mexico.</p>
<p class="title">Mexicans seeking asylum in the United States could be deported to Guatemala, part of a controversial migration deal between the Central American nation and Washington, the US Department of Homeland Security told AFP Monday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The agreement designated Guatemala a "safe third country" -- allowing US authorities to deport some El Salvadoran and Honduran asylum seekers there -- and was condemned by international human rights groups.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Certain Mexicans seeking humanitarian protections in the United States may now be eligible to be transferred to Guatemala and given the opportunity to seek protection there," a spokesperson for Homeland Security said in a statement.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Mexican foreign ministry said it "disagreed" with the measure that could affect roughly 900 of its citizens from February.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In a statement, the ministry said it would closely monitor "human rights set out in the international agreements signed and ratified" by both countries.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Washington's move is the latest tightening of immigration regulations under President Donald Trump, who has pursued a broader crackdown on undocumented migrants.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Under the agreement with Guatemala, migrants who want to seek asylum in the US but travel through Guatemala must first request protection in the Central American country.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Many international observers say the country -- with 60 per cent poverty -- is in no shape to welcome refugees but simply signed the agreement under intense US pressure.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Washington has reached a similar deal with El Salvador.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In October, the US said border agents at the southern frontier with Mexico had arrested or stopped nearly one million undocumented migrants over the previous 12 months.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The increase was attributed to groups or families of Central American migrants fleeing poverty and violence to seek asylum on US soil.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Most migrants who reached the border are processed by immigration officials and then released to await a hearing on their claim -- but they usually disappeared into the US, hoping to settle.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In a bid to stop the new arrivals, the US has asked Mexico to slow migrants' travel, and ordered the expulsion of asylum seekers back to Mexico.</p>