Trump administration commends Uzbekistan for repatriating illegal migrants

U.S. officials expressed gratitude to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for organizing and financing the deportation operation of 131 individuals from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.

According to Fox News Digital, the flight returning Central Asians to their home countries was carried out under a formal agreement between Washington and Tashkent.

"More than 100 unlawful immigrants are flying back to Uzbekistan on Wednesday under an agreement with the U.S., with the Uzbek government footing the bill for the return of its own nationals – the first such deal by a foreign government since President Donald Trump took office. The flight, which took off this morning, had 131 migrants on board," the report stated.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem specifically acknowledged President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for arranging the charter flight to return 131 illegal migrants to their homeland.

"We commend Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev for his leadership in sending a flight to return 131 illegal aliens back to their home country," said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in a statement. "We look forward to continuing to work together with Uzbekistan on efforts to enhance our mutual security and uphold the rule of law."

Citing the Trump administration, Fox News reported that this repatriation agreement serves as a model for how the U.S. can collaborate with other nations on migration issues. The agreement was the outcome of several months of diplomatic negotiations between the U.S. State Department, Department of Homeland Security, the White House, the National Security Council, and the government of Uzbekistan.

Earlier, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry had announced that, as part of bilateral agreements, a special charter flight on the New York–Tashkent route would be organized on April 30 to repatriate Uzbek citizens who were residing in the U.S. without legal status and had been placed on the deportation list.

The individuals concerned had either violated visa regulations or overstayed their permitted time in the U.S. A Foreign Ministry representative stated that the repatriation process was organized based on humanitarian and legal principles, ensuring the safe and dignified return of the citizens.