Brazil Demands Explanation From US Over Immigrants Deported In Handcuffs Amid Trump's Crackdown

The Brazilian government has expressed outrage and stated it would seek an explanation from the Donald Trump administration after dozens of immigrants deported from the United States arrived by plane in handcuffs.

Brazil's Foreign Ministry described the treatment of the immigrants during their return as a "flagrant disregard" for human rights.

The controversy arises amid Latin America's struggle with US President Donald Trump's tough stance on immigration. Since resuming office a week ago, Trump has moved forward with his crackdown on irregular migration and mass deportations, with several planes transporting illegal immigrants to countries such as Guatemala and Brazil.

When one such plane landed in the northern Brazilian city of Manaus, authorities reportedly found that 88 Brazilians on board were in handcuffs. The Brazilian justice ministry ordered US officials to "immediately remove the handcuffs," as stated in an official release.

Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski informed President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of "the flagrant disregard for the fundamental rights of Brazilian citizens," according to the statement.

Brazil will "request explanations from the US government about the degrading treatment of passengers" aboard the Friday night flight, the foreign ministry stated on X.

The American Nightmare

Among the Brazilians on the flight was 31-year-old computer technician Edgar Da Silva Moura, who had been held in the US for seven months before being deported.

"On the plane, they didn't give us water, we were tied hand and foot, and they wouldn't even let us go to the bathroom," he told news agency AFP.

"It was very hot, some people fainted," Moura added.

Luis Antonio Rodrigues Santos, 21, who was also on the flight, described the "nightmare" of people with "respiratory problems" during "four hours without air conditioning" due to a technical fault on the plane.

"Things have already changed (with Trump), immigrants are treated as criminals," he said.

The flight, initially destined for the southeastern city of Belo Horizonte, had to land in Manaus due to a technical issue.

Flight Not Part of Trump's Plan

A government source told AFP that the deportation flight was not directly related to any immigration policies introduced by Trump but stemmed from a 2017 bilateral agreement.

Brazil's Minister of Human Rights, Macae Evaristo, informed journalists that "children with autism ... who went through very serious experiences" were also on the flight.

Footage on Brazilian television showed passengers disembarking from the civilian aircraft with their hands handcuffed and their ankles shackled.

"Upon learning of the situation, President Lula ordered that a Brazilian Air Force (FAB) aircraft be mobilised to transport the Brazilians to their final destination, ensuring they could complete their journey with dignity and safety," the justice ministry said.

A Brazilian government source told AFP that the deportees arriving in Manaus travelled "with their documents," indicating that they had agreed to return home.

Trump's Immigration Crackdown

Trump had promised a crackdown on illegal immigration during his election campaign and began his second term with a series of executive orders aimed at overhauling US entry procedures. On his first day in office, he signed orders declaring a "national emergency" at the southern US border, deploying more troops to the area and vowing to deport "criminal aliens."

Several deportation flights have attracted media attention since Monday, though such actions were also common under previous US presidents.

In a break from previous practice, however, the Trump administration has begun using military aircraft for repatriation flights, with at least one landing in Guatemala this week. On Friday, the United States also expelled 265 migrants to Guatemala.

The Department of Homeland Security estimates that there are approximately 11 million undocumented migrants in the United States.