After the Trump administration announced its plan to deport all illegal migrants from the US, the Brazilian government has expressed anger over the treatment of deported individuals. Brazil demanded an explanation from the US after dozens of immigrants, arriving by plane, were seen in handcuffs. 

The country's Foreign Ministry condemned the action, calling it a "flagrant disregard" for human rights. This controversy highlights the growing tensions in Latin America, as countries grapple with US President Donald Trump's hard-line anti-immigration stance. Since returning to office, Trump has intensified his crackdown on illegal migration, implementing mass deportations and sending deported individuals to countries like Brazil and Guatemala.

When a plane carrying deported immigrants landed in Brazil's northern city of Manaus, authorities discovered that 88 Brazilian nationals aboard the aircraft were in handcuffs. In response, Brazil's justice ministry issued a directive for US officials to "immediately remove the handcuffs." Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski informed President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva about the "flagrant disregard for the fundamental rights of Brazilian citizens," according to a statement from the ministry.

Calling out this behaviour on X, Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Brazil will request "explanations from the US government about the degrading treatment of passengers" on the Friday night flight.

One of the deported Brazilians on the flight was 31-year-old computer technician Edgar Da Silva Moura, who had been detained in the US for seven months. He described the difficult conditions, saying, "We weren’t given water, our hands and feet were tied, and we couldn’t even go to the bathroom." He also mentioned that it was "very hot" and that some people fainted.

Another deportee, 21-year-old Luis Antonio Rodrigues Santos, recalled the "nightmare" of the flight, with passengers suffering from "respiratory problems" during "four hours without air conditioning" due to a technical issue. Santos also pointed out the change in the treatment of immigrants, saying, "Things have changed; immigrants are treated as criminals."The flight, which was originally headed for Belo Horizonte, had to land in Manaus because of a technical problem. 

A government source told AFP that the deportation flight was not related to any new immigration orders by Trump but was part of a 2017 agreement between the US and Brazil. Brazil's Minister of Human Rights, Macae Evaristo, said that the flight also carried children with autism who had endured "very serious experiences." Footage aired on Brazilian television showed some passengers disembarking from the civilian aircraft with their hands handcuffed and ankles shackled.

Upon learning of the situation, President Lula ordered the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) to provide transportation for the deportees to their final destination, ensuring they could complete their journey with dignity and safety, according to the justice ministry.

A Brazilian government source informed AFP that the deportees who arrived in Manaus were travelling "with their documents," indicating that they had agreed to return to Brazil voluntarily.

Trump, in his second term, focused on cracking down on illegal immigration, declaring a "national emergency" at the southern border and vowing to deport "criminal aliens." Recently, deportation flights have drawn attention, with the use of military planes, including one to Guatemala. On Friday, 265 migrants were expelled to Guatemala. There are around 11 million undocumented migrants in the US, according to the Department of Homeland Security.