The Human Rights Implications of U.S. Deportation Policies to Third Countries

In 2026, the U.S. government has increasingly deported foreign nationals to third countries, creating significant implications for countries throughout the Americas. This roundtable seeks to foster an in-depth conversation among legal scholars, practitioners, researchers, advocates, and students about the legal, humanitarian, and regional dimensions of third-country deportations, using the case of Cuban and other third-country nationals deported from the US to Mexico as a lens through which to examine broader shifts in U.S. migration policy.

Introductory Remarks

Caroline Bettinger López, Professor of Law; Director, Human Rights Clinic; Faculty Chair, Human Rights Program

Moderator

Michael Bustamante, Associate Professor and Emilio Bacardí Moreau Chair for Cuban and Cuban American Studies

Speakers
María José Espinosa, Executive Director, Center for Engagement and Advocacy in the Americas (CEDA)
Andrea Jacoski, Associate Director, University of Miami School of Law, Immigration Clinic
Juan Pappier, Americas Deputy Director, Human Rights Watch
 

Co-Sponsors: 
University of Miami School of Law Human Rights Program
University of Miami George P. Hanley Democracy Center
University of Miami Cuban Studies Program
University of Miami Emilio Bacardí Moreau Chair for Cuban and Cuban American Studies
University of Miami School of Law Immigration Clinic

University of Miami Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas 

Partners: 
Human Rights Watch (HRW)
Center for Engagement and Advocacy in the Americas (CEDA)