U.S. to Test Some Immigrants for Coronavirus Before Deportation

The United States plans to begin testing some migrants in detention for COVID-19 before deporting them, an official familiar with the effort said on Thursday, after infections among deportees in Guatemala, Haiti and Mexico.

🛂Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will acquire 2,000 tests per month from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to screen deportees, the official said, without mentioning the timing.

The agency is unlikely to have enough tests for all deportees and will need to prioritize, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

ICE and HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The move comes amid criticism from foreign governments about receiving migrants infected with the coronavirus, which causes the respiratory illness COVID-19.

Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, Jamaica and Ecuador have all asked for testing, the U.S. official said.

“They all want it. Who wouldn’t?”

Guatemala said it would stop receiving deportees from the United States after dozens of returning migrants tested positive.

As of Thursday, President Alejandro Giammattei said at least 85 deported Guatemalans had tested positive, around a fifth of all the reported cases in the Central American country.

Cases of infection among deportees have also been reported in Haiti and Mexico.

Giammattei said last week the Guatemalan suspension would remain in place until the United States was able to certify people were being sent back virus-free.

Later on Thursday, his government said a flight carrying deportees, including unaccompanied minors, would be allowed to arrive on Friday due the vulnerable state of those deported after they were apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border.